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FROM A RAKE COPPER PLATE ENGRAVING IN THE AUTHOR'S POSSESSION. 



THE 



BIBLE STORY 

CHARMINGLY TOLD. 



For Young People 



BY THE 

RT. REV. SAMUEL FALLOWS, D. D. 

Author of Liberty and Union, Synonyms and Antonyms, The Progressive Supplemental 
Dictionary, The Home Beyond, Past Noon, etc., etc. 

AN 



LUCY B. FALLOWS, 



WITH 



Older B< 



OTRIKING I HOUGHTS FOR ULDER DCWS AND U1RLS, 

From the expositions of Rev. Alexander McLaren, D. D., Bishop J. H. Vincent, D. D., President Timothy 

Dwight, D. D., Rev. Charles S. Robinson, D. D., Bishop H. W. Warren, D. D. 

Rev. Canon Liddon, D. D., Bishop Charles E. Cheney, D D., 

Rev. Joseph Parker, D. D., Charles Reade, 

and other eminent writers. 




0fi 

ILLUSTRATED. , y , 



Six Hundred Engravings, from the Best Masters, Ancient and Modern. 



W. B. Conkey Company, 

PUBLISHERS, 
CHICAGO, ILL. 

1895. 



«»> 



***fc 



COPYRIGHTED BY 

Samuel Fallows, 

1895. 



Table of Contents. 



OLD TESTAMENT. 



The Creation, _..,-- 9 
The Garden of Eden, ... 13 

The Fall of Man, - - - 15 

Cain and Abel, - - - - 18 

Seth, Enoch and Methusaleh, - - - 23 

The Flood, 25 

The Decrease of the Waters, - 29 

The Tower of Babel, ... 33 

The Call of Abram, 35 

The Destruction of Sodom, - - 41 

Abraham and Hagar— Abraham and Ahimelech, 46 
The Offering of Isaac, 47 

Isaac and Rebekab, ... 52 

The Birth of Esau and Jacob, - - 56 

Jacob and Rachel, - 62 

Meeting of Jacob and Esau— Death of Isaac- 
Birth of Benjamin, ... 66 
Joseph and his Brethren, . 70 
Captivity of Joseph, 74 
The Dreams of Pharaoh's Servants, - 75 
Pharaoh's Dreams, 76 
Joseph made the Ruler of Egypt, - 78 
Joseph's Brethren come to Buy Corn, - 79 
Jacob Sends Benjamin, and Joseph entertains 

his Brethren, - - - - 82 

The Search for Joseph's Cup, and Judah's Plea, 84 
Joseph makes himself known to bis Brethren, 

and sends for his Father, - - 86 

God gives Israel a vision on his way down to 

Egypt— Joseph meets his Father, - 88 

Joseph brings his Father to Pharaoh— Joseph 

sells Corn to the Egyptians, - - 89 

The end of Jacob's Life— Joseph's Death, - 90 
The Egyptian Bondage, ... 95 

The Finding of Moses, 95 

The Burning Bush, ... 98 

The Plagues of Egypt, - - 101 

The Israelites go out of Egypt, - - 108 

The Song of Moses, - - - .110 

The Israelites fed with Manna, - - 112 

Moses brings Water from the Rock, - 113 

Moses Entertains Jethro, - - 115 

The Law given from Mount Sinai, - - 117 

The Ten Commandments, - - 119 

Moses Called up again into the Mount, - 120 
God's Commands about the Tabernacle, 122 

The People Worship the Golden Calf, and are 

Punished, .... 125 

The new Tables of Stone are Given— The Tab- 
ernacle Made, .... 128 
Law About Offerings, ... 135 
Moses Consecrates Aaron and his Sons, - 137 
Laws about Leprosy and other things, - 139 
The Three Great Feasts— of the Passover, of 
Pentecost or Harvest, of Tabernacles, 143 



The Levites are Chosen, ... 

The Princes Bring Gifts to the Tabernacles, 

The Quails, .... 

The Spies, 

Korah's Rebellion, - 

Moses and Aaron Sin at the Rock. Plague of 

the Fiery Serpents, 
Balaam. The Israelites at the Jordan, - 
The Death of Mosee, .... 
Joshua Sending Spies, 
The Sin of Achan, .... 

Joshua Divides Canaan among the Tribes. His 
Death, ----- 

The Lord chooses Judges to rule over the Peo- 
ple, 

Gideon and the Midianites, 

Abimelech and Jephthah, - - - 

The Story of Samson, 

The Story of Ruth, .... 

The Story of Job, - 

The Story of Jonah, .... 

The Birth and Dedication of Samuel, 

The Philistines take the Ark, 

The Ark among the Philistines, 

Samuel is made Judge. The Israelites desire a 
King, 

Saul chosen King, 

Saul Disobeys the Lord at Gilgal. Jonathan 
and his Armor Bearer, ... 

The Victory of Jonathan and his Armor Bearer, 

Saul and the Amalekites, 

The Anointing of David, 

David plays before Saul, 

David slays Goliath, - 

Saul becomes Jealous of David, - 

David Escapes from Saul, ... 

The Covenant of David and Jonathan, - 

David's Flight, .... 

The Death of the Priests, 

David saves the city of Keilah. David Flees to 
Engedy, - 

David and Abigail, - - - - - 

Saul Pursues David again, 

Saul and the Woman of Endor, 

David Defeats the Amalekites, 

The Death of Saul, - 

David is made King oi Israel, 

David's Sin, ------ 

Absalom Rebels against David, 

Tha Death of Absalom, 

The Last Days of David, 

Solomon's Wise Choice, 

The Judgment of Solomon, 

Solomon Builds the Temple, 



147 
148 
149 
151 
153 

155 

159 
166 
171 
181 

184 

190 
193 
197 
201 
211 
216 
2:3 
228 
232 
2:34 



239 

244 
245 
247 
249 
251 
253 
257 
259 
260 
263 
265 



270 
272 
274 
276 
278 
280 
284 
287 
290 



301 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



The Dedication of the Temple, - - 305 

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, - 308 

Solomon's Last Days, - - - 311 

The Revolt of the Ten Tribes, - - 314 

Jeroboam and the Prophet, - - - 316 

The Sin of Jeroboam, - - ■■ 318 

The Death of Jeroboam, - •- - 319 

The Reigns of Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri and 

Omri, ----- 320 

Elijah foretells a Famine. Elijah fed by Ra- 
vens. Elijah and the Woman of Zarephath, 322 
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, - - 324 

Elijah Flees from Jezebel, - - 330 

Benhadad and Ahab, - - - 333 

Naboth's Vineyard, - - - 335 

Jehoshaphat and Ahab, - - - 336 

Elijah is taken up into Heaven, - - 340 

Jehoram and Jehoshaphat defeat the Moabites, 345 
Elisha and the Shunamite, - - - 347 

Elisha and Naaman, ... 349 

Benhadad Besieges Samaria, - - 355 

Elisha Prophesies tnat Hazael will be King of 
Syria, ----- 356 

Jehu is anointed King of Israel, - - 358 

The Last Days of Elisha, - - - • 360 

From the Death of Jehoash to the Captivity. 
Amos, . .... 363 

The Eeigns of Rehoboam and Abijah over the 
Kingdom of Judah, - - - 367 

The Reign of Asa over the Kingdom of Judah, 369 

The Reign of Jehoshaphat over the Kingdom 
of Judah, 370 

The Reigns of Jehoram, Ahaziah and Athaliah 
over the Kingdom of Judah, '- - 373 

The Reigns of Joash and Amaziah over the 
Kingdom of Judah, - - - 377 

The Reign of Uzziah over the Kingdom of Ju- 
dah, 380 

The Reign of Jotham over the Kingdom of Ju- 
dah. Isaiah the Prophet, - - 381 

The Reign of Ahaz over the Kingdom of Judah, 382 



The Reign of Hezekiah over the Kingdom of 
Judah, ----- 385 

Hezekiah and Tennacherib, - - - 387 

Hezekiah and the Kiug of Babylon, - 390 

The Reign of Manas33h over the Kingdom of 
Judah, ---.. 392 

The Reign of Josiah over the Kingdom of Ju- 
dah, 394 



the Kingdom of Judah, 

The Reigns of Jehoiachim and Zedekiah over 
the Kingdom of Judah, 

The Jews Kill Gedaliah, 

The Vision of the Cherubims. Ezekiers Com- 
mission, - - . . 

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, 
The Golden Image of Nebuchadnezzar, 
Nebuchadnezzar relates his Dream, and the 



fulfillment of it, 



403 

406 
410 
411 
414 

417 
419 



421 



424 
427 



The Handwriting on the Wall, 

Daniel in the Lion's Den. Daniel praying for 

the Return of the Jews, 
The Jews Return to their own land and begin 

to rebuild the Temple, 
The Temple is finished, 
Ezra goes up to Jerusalem. The People put 

away their Heathen Wives, - - 429 

Esther is made Queen, - - - 433 

Haman Plots to Destroy the Jews, - - 434 

Esther's Approach to the King, - - 437 

Hamaan is Hanged, - 439 

Permission is given to the Jews to Destroy 

their Enemies, - 441 

Nehemi ah obtains consent to rebuild the Walls 

of Jerusalem, - 443 

The Samaritans try to hinder the Jews from 

Rebuilding the Wall, - - - 445. 

The Wall is Finished and Dedicated, - 447 

Ezra teaches the Law to the People, - 448 

The Prophecies of Malachi, - - - 452 



NEW TESTAMENT. 



The Birth of John the Baptist, 

The Birth of Christ. An Angel tells the Shep 
herds that Christ is born, 

The Slaughter of the Innocents. The Child- 
hood of Jesus, - - - - 



Jesus in the Temple with the Doctors or 
Teachers, 

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus, 

Christ turns Water into Wine. Christ and 
Nicodemus, - - - - - 

The Death of John the Baptist, - 

Jesus and the Woman of Samaria, - 

Jesus Heals the Nobleman's Son, 

Peter, Andrew, James and John are called. Je- 
sus casts out an Evil Spirit. Jesus cures 
the Mother of Peter's Wife. Jesus Heals 
the Leper, - 

Jesus Heals the man sick of the Palsy. Jesus 
calls Matthew, - - - - 

Jesus Heals the Impotent Man. Christ's 
Teaching regarding the Sabbath. Tha Call 
of the Apostles, - 

The Sermon on the Mount, 



459 

462 

466 

469 
470 

473 
474 

481 
438 



484 
490 

493 



The Parable' of the Foolish Rich Man. The 
Parable of the Sower. The Parable of the 
Wheat and Tares. The Parable of the 
Mustard Seed. The Hidden Treasure. The 
Parable of the Merchant and the Pearl. 
The Parable of the Drag- Net, . - 502 

Jesus Calms the Tempest. Jesus Heals the 
Demoniac of Gadara, 506 

Jesus heals the Issue of Blood. Jesus Raises 
the Daughter of Jairas, - - - 509 

Jesus Rejected in His Own Countrv. The 
Twelve Apostles Sent Forth. The Five 
Thousand Fed. Jesus walks on the water, 
and heals many who are sick, - 510 

Many of the Disciples leave Jesus. Peter's 
Confession. An Evil Spirit Cast Out. 
Many Sick are Healed, and Four Thousand 
Persons Fed. A Blind Man Healed. Peter 
and the other Disciples again profess their 
Faith in Jesus, - - - - 515 

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection 
The Transfiguration. A Demoniac Healed. 
The Tribute Money Provided by a Miracle. 
The Disciples contend who shall be Great- 
est. Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. 
The Seventy Instructed and Sent Out, 520 



TABLE OF CONTEXTS. 



A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receive Jesus. 
Ten Lepers Cleansed. Jesus teaches in the 
Temple. Rulers try to Seize Him. He Re- 
proves the Unbelieving Jews. The Law- 
yer's Question Answered. Parable of the 
Good Samaritan, - - - 524 

Jesus Goes to Bethany. The Disciples taught 
again How to Pray. The Seventy Return. 
A^Blind Man Healed on the Sabbath. Je- 
sus the Good Shepherd, - - 527 

The Raising of 1 -azarns, - - - 530 

An Infirm Woman Healed on the Sabbath. 
Parable of the Great Supper. Jesus teach- 
es what is Required of True Disciples. 
Publicans and Sinners Flock to Him. Par- 
able of the Lost Sheep. The lost Piece of 
Silver and the Prodigal Son, - 533 

Parable of the Unjust Steward. The Rich Man 
and Lazarus. The Unjust Judge, and the 
Pharisee and Publican, - - 538 

Christ Blesses Little Children. Jesus a third 
time Foretells His Death and Resurrection. 
Jesus heals two Blind Men near Jericho. 
Jesus visits Zaccheus. Jesus enters Jeru- 
salem Publicly. The barren Fig Tree 
Cursed, - - - - • - 541 

The Parable of the Two Sons. The Parable of 
the Vineyard. The Parable of the Marriage 
Feast, - - - - - 546 



Question Concerning Payment of Tribute. The 
two Great Commandments. The Scribes 
and Pharisees Denounced. Lamentation 
over Jerusalem. The Widow's Offering. 
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold. 
Parables of the Ten Virgins and the Five 
Talents. The Final Judgment, - 548 

The Ruler's Plot to Seize Jesus. He is Anoint- 
ed at Bethany by Mary. Judas lays his 
plan for Betraying Him. Jesus Celebrates 
the Passover with the Twelve. They con- 
tend who shall be Greatest. Jesus washes 
their Feet. The Lord's Supper Introduced, 552 

Jesus' Last Address to His Disciples. His ag- 
ony in Gethsemane. He is Betrayed and 
Made Prisoner. He is Brought before the 
High Priest. Peter thrice denies his Mas- 
ter. Jesus is brought before the Council. 
He is taken before Pilate. Jesus is Scourg- 
ed and Mocked, ... 558 

Judas Repents and Hangs Himself. Jesus is 
l^ed Away to be Crucified. The Crucifix- 
ion. Jesus Dies on the Cross. The Super- 
natural Signs which accompany His Death. 
The Burial of Jesus. The Guard set at the 
Sepulchre, .... 570 

An Angel rolls away the Stone from the Door 
of the Sepulchre. The Resurrection of Je- 
sus. Vision of Angels at the Sepulchre. 
Jesus Shows Himself at Different Times to 
the Apostles. The Ascension, - 577 



*v 





THE CREATION 

B. C. 4004. 



[B. C. means Before Christ.] 




N the beginning of all things, a very long 
time ago, before there were any worlds, or 
anything beside God Himself, before there 
were any flowers or fruits, any birds or 
beasts, or men; before there was any sun or 
moon, before there were any stars, God cre- 
ated the heavens and the earth. 

He, therefore, did not make them out of 
anything which was then in existence. He 
did not create them out of Himself, but He 
called them all alike into being by the word 
of His power. 



IO 



THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. 




The First Day of Creation. 

HEN He made the earth, all at first was dark and mixed 
together, the water and the land. And God said, Let 
there be light, and light was. And God made the 
light and the darkness to be separate from each other. 
And He called the light Day, and the darkness Night, 
and so there was the day and the night. This was the first day of crea- 
tion. 

The Second Day of Creation. 

AND God made the clouds and the mists, from which the water comes 
down, to rise from the earth, and He made the air to surround the 
earth, and He made the sky in which the stars shine. And He called the 
sky Heaven. This was done on the second day. 

The Third Day of Creation. 

AND God brought the waters together, and 
called them Seas. And He made the 
dry land appear, and He called it the earth. 
And He made the earth bring forth the ten- 
der grass, and flowers, and fruits, and plants 
and trees, and He gave them life, and power 
to bring forth out of seeds and roots things 
like themselves. This was done on the third 
day. 

The Fourth Day of Creation. 

AND - God made the sun to shine in the sky, and to give light to the 
earth in the day time ; and the moon and the stars to give light in the 
night time. They were signs of God's goodness, and by them Spring 
and Summer and Autumn and Winter were to come in their turn. This 
was done on the fourth day. 




The Fifth Day of Creation. 

ND God made the fishes and great whales, and other living things in 
the waters; and birds of every kind to fly in the air; and He com- 
manded them to increase in number. This was done on the fifth day. 



A 



A 



The Sixth Day of Creation. 

ND God made the earth bring forth the insects that course through the 
air, and the things that creep on the ground*;and the wild beasts, like 



THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. 



I I 



the lion and the tiger, and the tame beasts that are of use to man, such as 
the cow, the ox, the sheep, and the horse. 

And God made man in His own image and likeness. He made the 
body of man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into him the 
the breath of life, — the life of the body, the life of the mind, and the life of 




the soul or spirit. And God gave man power over the fish of the sea and 
the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over 
everv creeping thing upon the earth. And God told him that the fruit of 
the shrubs and of the trees were to be his food, and the tender grass and 
the leaves and herbs were to be the food of the birds and the beasts. This 
was done on the sixth day. 

And God, looking at everything He had made, saw that it was very 
good. 

Thus in six days God made all these things. On the seventh day He 
rested. God blessed the seventh day, and made it a Sabbath for man, that 
he might rest, or cease from his usual labor on that holy day, after work- 
ing six days of the week. 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 

UNDERNEATH this beautiful History which we have just told you, 
are some of the greatest thoughts that can enter the human mind. 
Of these you will learn more when you grow older. You will learn 
how men, called philosophers, differ as to their views of the existence of 
the world. Some of them, called Pantheists, merge the Creator in the 



12 THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. 

creation, and do not make Him separate from the world. They say, "All 
are God, and God is the All." Others say, that the creation was an out- 
going of God Himself, the giving of a part of His essence to that which 
He had created. Others say that the material of the Universe was always 
in existence, and that God only fashioned it anew. But this story teaches 
us that at first God alone existed, that, as a Personal God, He is distinct 
from the Universe. He did not make over anew something which existed 
eternally with Himself. But He called into being, by a supreme act of 
His will, the Heavens and the Earth. God is, ever was, ever will be, 
ever must be, cannot but be. The material Universe began. It became, 
and it was what it was because God willed it. His will now keeps the 
world in being. His will and power are the only real forces in Nature. 
God is present everywhere in His creation. 



w 



HEN Heaven and earth were yet unmade, 
When time was yet unknown, 
Thou, in Thy bliss and majesty, 
Didst live and love alone. 

Thou wert not born ; there was no fount 
From which Thy being flowed; 

There is no end which Thou canst reach, 
For Thou art simply God. 

How wonderful creation is, 

The work that Thou didst bless, 

And, oh, what then must Thou be like, 
Eternal Loveliness. 

F. W. FABER. 



THE GARDEN CF EDEN. 



13 



The Gardeh of Eden. 




Genesis II 

HEN God put the man in a garden which He 
had planted for him. The name of the 
garden was Eden, which means in the He- 
brew language, "pleasure," and in the Per- 
sian language, "an enclosed space of beau- 
tiful ground." 

In this Garden of Eden or pleasure, God 
made every tree to grow that was pleasant 
to the sight and good for food. In the 
midst of the garden God planted the tree 
of life, and, also, the tree whose fruit, as we 
shall soon see, was not to be eaten. 

Through this garden a river flowed, 

which divided itself into four streams, and watered the earth; and God 

told the man to take care of 

the garden. And He said 

to him that he might take 

the fruit from every tree in 

the garden, and eat it free- 
ly, except the one tree of 

the knowledge of good and 

evil. God said to him that 

if he ate of that fruit he 

should surely die. 

And God brought the 

animals and the birds to 

Adam, and Adam gave 

names to them. 

And God said it is not 

good for man to be alone. 

I will make some one who 

shall love him and be a help 

to him. 

And God made a deep 

sleep fall upon Adam, and 

as he slept God took one 

of the bones from his side 





ADAM AND EVE IN PARADISE. 



THE FALL OF MAN. 



and formed of it woman. And God brought the woman to the man, 
and they became husband and wife. They were so pure and good that 
they did not need to wear any clothes. In love and peace and joy they 
lived with God's smile resting upon them. 



The Fall of Mar 



Genesis III and IV. 

OW, there was in the Garden of Eden a Serpent, or 

large snake. This Serpent was Satan, a fallen 

angel, who had taken this form to tempt the 

woman to sin. It is this Satan who, in many 

ways now tempts men and women to sin. The 

Serpent said to the woman, "Has God told you 

not to eat of all the trees in the garden ?" And 

the woman said that they might eat of all but 

one; that if they were to eat of that tree they would die. The Serpent 

said they should not die if they ate of it, that God knew if they were to 

eat of it they would become wise, knowing good and evil. 

And the woman listened to this Serpent, who was telling her a lie. 
And when she saw that the tree was nice to look upon, and the fruit was 




■■■■■■ ^ \f 




good to eat, she took of the fruit and ate it, and she gave the fruit, also, to 
her husband, and he ate of it. Thus they sinned, and sin came into the 



i6 



THE FALL OF MAN. 



world. Then, having lost their purity and goodness, they made clothes 
out of fig leaves. And God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day, 
called to Adam and said, "Adam, where art thou?" Before this they were 

happy, and were always glad when God spoke 
to them. Now, they were afraid, and fled and 
hid themselves in the depths of the garden. 
And God said to Adam, "Hast thou eaten of 
the tree which I commanded thee that thou 
shouldest not eat?" And the man said, "The 
woman, whom Thou gavest to be with me, 
gave me of the tree, and I did eat." And 
God said to the woman, "What is this that 
thou hast done?" And the woman said, "The 
Serpent led me astray, and I did eat." 

And God cursed the Serpent for what he had done, and said men 
should hate him as he went creeping in the dust. And God said to the 
woman that she should have sorrow and suffering, and weakness. But 





He gave her a dim promise that, though she had been the means through 
the Serpent of bringing sin into the world, there should be born, in due 
time, of a human mother, One who should conquer Satan, and tread him 
under foot. This One who was thus promised was the Lord Jesus Christ, 
who, in God's good time, was born of the Virgin Mary, and came into the 
world to destroy the works of the devil, and save all who should believe 
in Him. 



THE FALL OF MAX. 



*7 



And God said to Adam, that the ground should bring forth thorns and 
thistles for his sin, and that he would have to toil hard to earn his bread 
as long as he lived, and when he should die his body must return to dust. 
And God made coats of the skins of beasts for the man and the woman. 

And Adam called his wife Eve. 




And God sent Adam forth from the Garden of Eden, and drove him 
out to till the ground. And Eve went with him. And God placed at the 
east of the garden shining angels with a naming sword in their hands, 
which was turned every way, so that Adam and Eve might never enter it 
again. These angels were called Cherubim. 



1 



For Older Boys akd Girls. 

T^HIS Story of the Garden of Eden teaches us the origin of evil in a 
very forcible manner. This is one of the questions which has puz- 
zled thinking minds through all the ages. How could evil come into 
a world made by a good God — a world which He Himself had pronounced 
very good? Some thinkers would explain evil away by using smooth 
words to describe it, and some would have us believe that it is but a par- 
tial good, thus wiping out the lines which mark off essentially the good 
from the evil. This story teaches that evil is positive in its character. 
As natural evil it is discord or disturbance in the order of the Universe. 
It teaches us that moral evil, which is acting contrary to the revealed will 
of God, is wickedness or sin, and that God is not the author of evil. 



i8. 



CAIN AND ABEL. 



Man came to the consciousness of right and wrong, and chose the 
wrong. He was, without compulsion, disobedient to God's commands. 
As all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, we all have fallen. 

Through Jesus Christ, the atoning sacrifice for sin, and the example of 
perfect obedience to God's commandments, men may be saved from the 
power and consequences of sin, and natural and moral evil be overruled 
for the good of man arid the glory of God. 



Cam and Abel. 




Genesis IV, B. C. 4003-387 J. 

FTER Adam and Eve were sent out of Eden, 
they had two sons and two daughters. One 
of the sons, the elder, was named Cain, the 
other Abel. Cain, like his father Adam, 
worked in the field. 

Abel kept sheep, and was called a shep- 
herd. Cain brought one day an offering 
of fruit unto the Lord, and Abel brought a 
lamb. God was more pleased with the 
offering which Abel brought than with that which Cain brought. Abel's 
lamb was offered up as a sacrifice to God. It was put upon the wood, 
and while lying there, it may be, that God sent down fire from heaven to 
show that He was pleased with it. Abel had more faith in God than 
Cain. He seemed to see far more than Cain into what God asked of man 
to show his sorrow for sin. The lamb which he brought was a sign that 
the Lamb of God, the Saviour of the world, 
should die on the cross that sinful man 
might be saved. God so plainly made 
known to Cain that He was more pleased 
with Abel's offering than with the one he 
had made, that Cain was very angry and 
jealous, and showed his anger in his looks 
and acts. And God asked Cain why he was 
angry, and said to him, "If thou doest well, 
shalt thou not be accepted ?" And God told 
him that, as he was the older brother, he 

should have authority over Abel, therefore he need not fear that Abel 
would behave in a wrong manner towards him because God had shown 
him greater favor. And Cain and his brother Abel talked over the mat- 
ter in the field, where Cain had taken him. And Cain let his anger rise 
to such a height that he lifted up his hand and killed his brother. 

And God said unto Cain, "Where is thy brother?" And he said, "I 





abel's sacrifice. 



20 



CAIN AND ABEL. 



know not. Am I my brother's keeper?" And God said, What hast thou 
done? I have seen thy brother's blood upon the ground. Thou hast 




PROM AN ANCIENT COPPEKPLATB ENGRAVING IN THE AUTHOR'S POSSESSION. 

killed him. And God told him that for this terrible sin he should be 
punished. The ground should not bring forth what it had done before 
when he tilled it. He must go forth and wander about from place to 
place, and be afraid when he met men. Cain said that his punishment 
was greater than he could bear, that every one that found him would kill 
him. But God put a mark upon him that people might not kill him, some- 
thing that they might know him to be Cain, or gave him a sign that he 
should not be killed, and so Cain went a great way off. 

How terrible must have been the grief of Adam and Eve when they 
found the dead body of the gentle, loving Abel ! What fearful evils sin 
has brought into the world! 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



IT is a sorrowful story we have just been telling you, and it warns us 
against being envious and jealous of others. God had respect unto 
Abel and his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering He had not 
respect, for Abel had a realizing sense of God's presence, which Cain had 
not. Abel's faith in God made his worship true worship. Cain did not 
have this faith. Abel had some correct idea of what the sacrifice of ani- 



CAIN AND ABEL. 



21 



mals meant, as an atonement for the sin of the offerer. Cain did not. 
Abel brought that which had cost him much labor and care, and to which 
he was attached — a lamb of his flock. Cain brought that which could not 
have drawn him out in attachment to it. Abel's gift was, therefore, a gift 
of self-sacrifice. It pointed to the offering up of The Lamb of God on 
Calvary, and to his supreme self-sacrifice for guilty men. 




«"■>".;*■■•'■ 



ADAM AND EVE FINDING THE BODY OP ABEL. 

Our worship must have heart in it, as did the worship of Abel, and 
not be a mere outward show, as was that of Cain. The killing of Abel 
shows us the importance of the eternal duty of resistance to sin. The root 
of sin is selfishness. The selfishness of Cain led on to envy, and hatred 
and murder. Conscience drove Cain through dry places seeking rest, and 
finding none. Every sinner is a fugitive and a vagabond. Cain slew 
himself more than Abel. Sin ravages him more than he can bear. Of 
the two, the one to be envied is Abel. "God's watchful kindness lingers 
round the wretched wanderer, like gracious sunshine playing on some 
scarred and blackened rock to win him back by goodness to penitence, and 
through penitence to peace." 




22 



THE ORIGIN OF MUSIC. 



The Origin of Music. 



NE of the children of the children of Cain was named 
Jubal. He was the first one in the world to use musi- 
cal instruments. It is very likely that the pipe or flute 
was what the Bible means when it says that Jubal was 
the father of all such as handle the harp and the or- 
gan. It is also very likely that the first pipe or flute 
was made of a large reed, such as you see in the picture. 





SETH, ENOCH AND METHUSALEH. 



2 3 



SETH, EHOCH AND METHUSALEH. 




Genesis V, B. C. jy6g-2t 

OD gave to Adam and Eve other children besides 
Cain and Abel. After they had lived a hundred 
and thirty-five years Seth was born. This son was 
a good boy. He loved his father and mother, and 
also loved God. The children of Seth loved God, 
too, and God loved them and called them His chil- 
dren. He permitted Seth to live to a ripe old age before he called him to 
the home above by death. 

After Adam had lived nine hundred and 
thirty years he died. God had said to him 
in the Garden of Eden, when he had eaten 
the forbidden fruit, that his body should re- 
turn unto the ground; "for," said the Lord, 
"out of it wast thou taken. Dust thou art, 
and unto dust shalt thou return." And so 
his body did go back to dust, but his spirit 
went to God who gave it. 

Many years after the death of Adam, 
and after the death of a large number of his 





THE DEATH OF ADAM. 



2 4 



SETH, ENOCH AND METHUSALEH. 



children, and the children of his children, Enoch was born. Like Seth, 
he was a good man and feared God. We are told that Enoch walked 
with God. This means that he loved God, and was obedient to His voice, 
just as a loving son walks with his father, and listens to his commands and 
requests, and promptly minds him. For three hundred and sixty-five 
years Enoch lived, pleasing God and serving Him. Then, instead of let- 
ting him die as other men do, of disease or of old age, God took him with- 
out dying to Heaven, that he might be with Him forever. 





THE TRANSLATION OP ENOCH. 

Enoch had a son named Methusaleh. He 
was the oldest man that ever lived, for when 
he died he was nine hundred and sixty-nine 
years old. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



METHUSALEH. 



This history teaches us the good Providence 
of God. Abel has been slain, but Seth now 
comes to his parents as compensation, for that 
is what the word Seth means. He becomes 
the ancestor of a family which, continuing in 
the faith, become heirs of promise, and whose aims, character and tenden- 
cy are in direct contrast to those of Cain. 

Enoch means the dedicated one. His name tells the story of his life. 
We all should be dedicated to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, for we 
are not our own, but have been bought with a price, therefore we must 
glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's. Methusaleh 
is, almost without exception, referred to among men as being the oldest 
man, as though that were his chief glory. But there is another thing for 
which he ought to be better known than for his great age — he was the 
grandfather of Noah. 



THE FLOOD. 



25 




The Flood. 

Genesis VI, VII, B. C. 246g-2j4g, 
GREAT many years passed by, and Cain had 
very many children. So, also, had Seth. 
As we read, Adam, after living to a great age, 
at last died; and Cain died, and Seth died. But 
there were a great many people now upon 
the earth, and instead of growing good they 
grew very bad. There was one good man 
among them who loved God, and tried to do 
good to these wicked persons by telling them 
they ought to love God and do His will. His name was Noah. God saw 
that these bad people were growing so much worse that it was not best 
for them to stay any longer in the world. 
And God said to Noah that He would send 
great rain and floods, and would make the 
earth heave and then fall, so that the water 
should be so high all over the land that all 
the people would be drowned, except Noah 
and his wife and his children. That they 
might not be drowned God told Noah to 
build a great ark, which was a boat or ship, 
all to be made of wood. Noah obeyed God, 
and he cut down trees, and made boards out 
of them, and fastened them together, and so the ark was finished. It had 
one door, and one window in the top. It took Noah a great many years 

to build it, and while he was working upon 
it the wicked people would laugh at him, 
and call him a foolish man. But when it 
was built, God sent a pair of all the beasts 
and birds and insects that were in the land 
to the ark, and Noah let them in and put 
them in their places, and put into the ark 
the food they liked to eat, corn and grass 
and fruits, so that they might not starve. 

Then Noah himself went into the ark, 
with his wife, and his three sons, Shem, 
Ham and Japhet, with their wives, and God shut them in. Then it be- 
gan to rain. It rained forty days and forty nights without stopping, and 
the water rose higher and higher. It covered the tree tops, and still it 
rose; it covered the high hills, and still it rose; it covered every mountain 




NOAH PRATING. 




rxa?*.^ 



NOAH PLANNING. 



THE FLOOD. 



27 



up which people could climb, so that everybody and every creature was 
drowned—all but Noah and those that were in the ark with him. Noth- 
ing at last was seen but water, and the ark floating quite safe all the time 




on the water. The storm of rain and wind could not upset it, nor the sea 
cret into it, for God took care of it and of all that were in it. For one 
whole year Noah lived in the ark. His heart must have been very sad as 



28 



THE FLOOD. 



he thought of the world all about him covered with water, and of the 
people that he had known, and others he did not know, who had been 
drowned. But he knew that God had done right, for He could not do 
any wrong, in sending this great flood upon the earth. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



Noah and the Flood. 




FROM A RARE COPPER PLATE ENGRAVING IN THE AUTHOR S POSSESSION. 

ALONG period elapses between the death of Abel and the days of 
Noah. These days were days of moral corruption and violence. 
Bad men are cruel men. Among the bad and cruel men of his 
times Noah stands before us as the Solitary Saint. He stands alone in the 

strength of God, and by his practical faith 
has communion with God. Sin makes fel- 
lowship with God impossible. What com- 
munion hath light with darkness? 

The lesson of the flood is not to teach us 
that God delights in the misery and destruc- 
tion of His creatures, but that disobedience 
to God's law will bring sure punishment. 
The earth, and the heavens and the floods 
are against those who violate divine laws. 
Noah preached to the people of his time 
righteousness, and he lived as he preached. 
He warned them earnestly and faithfully of 




THE DECREASE OF THE WATERS. 



2 9 



the coming destruction for their unrighteousness. But they did not heed 
him. They jeered at him and scoffed at his words. 

Noah made preparation, and used the means God had put at his dis- 
posal. For a hundred and twenty years the wits laughed and the "com- 
mon sense" people wondered, and the patient saint went on hammering 
and pitching at his ark. But one morning it began to rain, and by degrees 
Noah did not seem quite such a fool. The jests would look rather differ- 
ent when the water got up to the knees of the jesters, and the sarcasms 
would stick in their throats as they drowned. We must be obedient to 
God. Luther said he would rather obey than work miracles. But who- 
ever obeys works miracles. There is no seeming evil in this world which 
cannot be overcome by righteous obedience. This is the victory which 
overcometh the world, even our faith. 

In all probability the Flood was local. It covered only that part of 
the earth in which man dwelt, and destroyed the creatures and beasts 
which were intended to live alongside of man. 



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THE GOING FORTH OF THE RAVEN. 

The decrease of the Waters. 

Genesis VIII, B. C. 234Q. 

ND now the ark, instead of floating about, stopped, 
and rested upon the peak of a very high moun- 
tain. Noah wished to know whether the dry 
land had come to view. So he went among: his 
birds and chose a raven, and opened the window 
and let it fly out. The raven is not a gentle 
bird like the dove. It did not like the ark, and 
never came back again. It found plenty of food, 



3o 



THE DECREASE OF THE WATERS. 



as there were so many dead bodies floating about, so it kept on flying here 
and there. Noah waited a week, and then let a dove fly out. It could 
not eat what the raven ate, and as it liked to eat grains and seeds, and to 
sit upon the branches of trees, and nestle in them when it could find no 
place to rest in, it flew back to the ark. Noah knew, then, that the green 
earth was not yet to be seen, so he took the dove back and kept her a week 
longer. Then he let her fly out again, and she saw the top of an olive tree 




THE EETURN OP THE DOV33 TO THE ARK. 



standing out of the water, and plucking off a little sprig or leaf with her 
beak, she brought it to Noah. For twelve long months this was the first 
green thing Noah had seen. No wonder he loved the olive leaf. No 
wonder that the people who have lived since then love to think of the 
olive leaf as the sign of peace and good news! For now Noah knew that 
the waters were going down, and that very soon the trees would appear, 
and then the dry ground. He waited one week more, and then he sent 



THE DECREASE OF THE WATERS. 



31 



the dove out again, and this time it did not come back. Then his heart 
leaped for joy, for he felt sure that God would soon let his feet tread upon 
the grassy plains of the beautiful earth once more. And God soon after 
opened the door of the ark, and said to him, "Go out of the ark, thou and 
thy wife, and thy three sons and their wives, and the birds and the beasts 




NOAH LEAVING THE AKK. 

and the insects, and all the creeping things." And they all went out glad 

and happy. 

Noah did not forget God's goodness to him, and to his wife and chil- 
dren. He brought together a number of 
stones, and made the heap flat on the top 
for an altar, on which he put some beasts 
and birds, and offered up a sacrifice of praise 
and thanksgiving to God, for saving him- 
self and his children from being drowned. 
With this God was well pleased. 




NOAH S SACRIFICE. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 

THE history of the deluge, the New Tes- 
tament tells us, is a type of the deep 
waters of sin in which a lost world is 
perishing. There is no escape but in that ark which God has prepared 
for us, The Lord Jesus Christ. There is safety in Christ, rest in Christ, 
and at last glory in Christ. 

Worship, as in the case of Noah, should succeed every act of deliver- 
ance. The sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving should then specially be 



32 



THE DECREASE OF THE WATERS. 



rendered to God, the giver of every good and perfect gift. God's cove- 
nant with Noah tells us that we are made in God's likeness, and therefore 
all sin is unworthy of us. It tells us that God means that we shall bravely 
and industriously subdue the earth and the living things upon it. He 
means that we are to be the masters of the pleasant things about us, and 
not their slaves, as sots and idlers are. He means that we are to be stew- 
ards or tenants of this world, and that we can ever look to Him in confi- 
dence for help and protection. 




NOAHS SACRIFICE. 



God gave as a token of the covenant that He would no more destroy 
the earth by water, the bow in the cloud — the beautiful rainbow. Was 
there not a rainbow before there was a flood, you ask. Of course there 
was. God did not then create the bow, but He turned it into the sign of 
a holy bond. Very beautiful is this idea of God giving us something to 
look at, in order to keep our faith steady. He knows that we need pic- 



THE TOWER OF BABEL. 



33 



hires, and rests, and voices and signs, and these He has well supplied. 
"He knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we are but dust." 



The Tower of Babel. 

Genesis ix-xi. B. C. 2348-224J. 




ND God gave many children to the sons of 
Noah. One of them was Nimrod, a mighty 
hunter before the Lord. These children of 
Noah did not love God, and serve Him as 
they should have done. They forgot how 
good He had been to their fathers and to 
themselves. They grew to be proud and 
unbelieving. 

At this time there was but one language 
spoken, therefore people could understand 
each other. And as they went in large compa- 
nies from the East, they came to a plain in 
the land of Shinar. And as they stopped 
there they said, Let us make brick and build 
a high tower that shall reach up to the sky. 
And they set to work to build it. We are 
not told why they built it. It may be, that 
they were afraid of another flood, and so 
wanted a place in which they might go and 
be safe. It may be, that this tower was to nimrod. 

be a kind of a great barracks, where soldiers could live and be under one 

mighty king like Nimrod ; or it may be, it 
was to be used for a great temple in which 
to worship idols. God saw that it was not 
right to build it. He wished the people to 
go to different parts of the earth and dwell 
there. So the Lord chose a strange way to 
stop them in their work. He made them 
all at once to speak in different languages, 
and as they could not understand each other 
they did not go on building. Those who 
spoke the same language got together and went away from the rest, and 
so the world had people in it in many places. 

This tower was called the Tower of Babel, because the people in try- 
ing to talk to each other made such a confusion that it was only a babel 
of sound. 







MMw 



^f'h0iS i 




THE TOWER OP BABEL. 



THE TOWER OF BABEL. 35 

For Older Boys akd Girls. 



IN this story is a recognition of the unity of the race. However, phil- 
osophers and scientists may differ as to the origin of the race, whether 
it began with one pair, or with many pairs in different parts of the 
world, this is true, our humanity is one. There may be and are many 
distinguishing physical characteristics, but as we study the languages of 
the many and different races which inhabit our earth, we find men are one 
in their hopes and aspirations. The mind and spirit of man is one mind 
and one spirit. It is the hope and expectation of our greatest minds that 
the race may in time recognize its oneness. This oneness can be effected 
only as men shall be baptized with the spirit of Jesus Christ. For in Him 
God has realized the presumptuous designs of the Babel-builders. He has 
united in Him all the scattered families of earth. In the mediation of 
His Son He has reared up a Tower whose top reaches to heaven. The 
cloven tongues of fire which came down on the heads of the assembled 
disciples at Pentecost, undid the confusion of tongues at Babel. 



The Call of Abram. 




Genesis xii-xxiv. B. C. 224J-185J. 

LONG while after these things had taken place 
there lived in the land of Ur, a man named 
Abram. In this land the people worshipped 
idols instead of the true God. And God 
told Abram to leave his home and his friends, 
and go to a land which He would show him. 
Abram did not know where this country 
was, but he had a wonderful faith in God, 

and at once set out to seek it as God had commanded him, for he knew 

God would bring him safely to it. 

He took with him on his journey his wife Sarah, and his brother's 

son, whose name was Lot. Abram was seventy-five years old at this 

time, and was very rich in flocks and herds, and tents. So, also, was Lot. 
It was a long way Abram had to travel. He had to go over wide 

rivers and cross a desert country, and climb over rough and stony hills. 

But God brought him in due time, as He had said He would, to the 

Land of promise, which was called Canaan. 

At a place in Canaan called Shechem, Abram stopped and built 

an altar. God here told Abram that he would give this land of 

Canaan to his children and the children of his children, who should live 

long after he was dead. Then Abram went on further and built another 



36 



THE CALL OF ABRAM. 



altar upon a mountain. Upon both of these altars Abram offered sacrifice 
unto the Lord. 

By and by, as he went through the country, the grass became very 
dry, for there had been no rain for a long time. The ground did not 
bring forth food enough for the people to eat. And so there came a 




ABRAM AND LOT JOURNEYING. 

famine in the land. And when Abram was told that there was plenty to 
eat in a land a long way off, called Egypt, he went there with his nephew, 
Lot. After awhile the rain came down in Canaan, and the famine -was 
over. Then Abram and Lot went back to Shechem, where Abram had 
first built an altar to the Lord. 

Abram and Lot had a great many men to take care of their flocks and 
herds. These men were called herdsmen, and very often Abram's herds- 
men and Lot's herdsmen would quarrel with each other. Abram saw 
that it was best for Lot and himself to part. So very kindly he said to 
Lot, "Let there be no strife between me and thee, and between my herds- 
men and thy herdsmen." And, although Abram was the older man, and 



THE CALL OF ABRAM, 



37 




ABRAM AND LOT PARTING. 



had the better right to choose first himself what part of the land he would 
take, he said to Lot, "Choose where thou shalt go. If thou wilt take the 
left hand, I will go to the right, and if thou wilt go to the right hand, I 
will go to the left." 

So Lot looked round and chose the plain of 
the river Jordan. He saw that this plain was 
rich in grass, and would be a good place for 
his flocks and herds. 

In this plain there were two large towns 
named Sodom and Gomorrah. The people 
who lived in them were very wicked. Lot 
was a good man, and, perhaps, did not think 
what a risk he was running to live among 
them. But as we shall see, it was a bad choice 
that he made. As soon as Lot had gone, the 
Lord told Abram that He would give to him and to his descendants, that 
is, his children and their children, who should come after him, all that 
land as far as he could see it. And God told him that these descendants 
should be so great in number that no one should be able to count them. 









THE PLAIN OP THE JORDAN . 



3§ 



THE CALL OF ABRAM. 




ABRAM PURSUING THE KINGS. 



Then Abram took his journey to the plain of Mamre, near Hebron, 

and there he lived and built an altar to the Lord. 

Some time after this, there was a war between several of the kings 

who reigned in the plain of the Jordan. Four of them came with a large 

army against Sodom, and gained the victory. They entered the city and 

took away Lot, with many other people, as captives or slaves. They 

took, also, all of Lot's riches. A soldier who had got away from these 

victors, told Abram what had been done to Lot. Abram at once armed 

his three hundred and eighteen servants, and got 
together all the friends he could call upon, to see if 
he could not deliver Lot out of the hands of his 
enemies. He made a very quick march of about 
two hundred miles, and gained a great victory over 
these kings. He took back Lot and all the cap- 
tives, with their goods, to Sodom. The king of 
Sodom wanted to give Abram all the property 
\ which had been re-taken from the enemy. But 
Abram would not take anything at all for him- 
self : for he had promised God that he would not 

do so. All that he wanted was that his friends who had fought with him 

should have their proper share of the spoil. 

As Abram was thus going to Sodom he was met by a wonderful man, 

named Melchizedek, the king of a city called Salem, who was also a 

priest as well as a king. Melchizedek thanked God for giving Abram 

the victory, and then blessed Abram in the name of God for having been 

able to win it. And he gave Abram and his men bread and refreshing 

v/ine. Abram, to show how thankful he 

was to God for His goodness to him, gave 

to Melchizedek, as a priest of God, the 

tenth part of all the things which he had 

taken from his enemies. After this, when 

Abram was asleep, the Lord appeared to 

him and told him that he should live a long 

time, and be buried in a good old age. And 

God told Abram that if any doubt should 

come into his mind to fear not. He, also 

told him that he should have children, who, 

in their turn, should have children, and by and by they should be as many 

in number as the stars in heaven. Then Abram was glad, and offered up 

a sacrifice to the Lord. 

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had a handmaid, that is, a maid who 

waited upon her as a servant, whose name was Hagar. She was born in 




ABRAM ASLEEP. 



THE CALL OF ABRAM. 



39 



Egypt, and, perhaps, had been given to Abram by the king of Egypt. 

Hagar did a great wrong to her mistress, Sarai, who was very much dis- 
pleased with her, 
and punished her. 
Then Hagar ran 
out of the house, 
and went out into 
the wild and lonely 
wilderness, and tried 
to go back to Egypt 
again. The way 
was a very long one 
and full of danger 
from wild beasts 
and wicked men. 

An angel of the 
Lord found Hagar 
there by a spring of 
water, and said to 
her, From whence 
didst thou come ? 
and where wilt thou 
go ? And Hagar said 
she had fled from 
her mistress, Sarai. 
And the angel 
told her to go back 
to Sarai, and do as 
she wished her to do. 
And he told her that 

she should have a son whose name should be Ishmael, who would be a 

wild man ; that is, he would live out of doors, and would be at strife with 

other men, and other men would fight against 

him. 

So Hagar went back to Sarai, and in due 

time God gave her a son, whose name was 

called Ishmael. When Abram was an old 

man, about ninety-nine years old, he bowed 

down before the Lord, and God talked with 

him again. He told Abram that He would be 

his God. He said that he and Sarai should 

have a son whose name should be Isaac. He 




MELCHIZEDEK BLESSING ABRA3I. 




4° 



THE CALL OF ABRAM. 



again told him that his descendants should be very many in number, and 
that they should have Canaan for their own land. God thus promised 

again these good things to Abram, which 
was called renewing His covenant with him. 
And He 6aid to Abram, "I will make of 
thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, 
and make thy name great, and in thee shall 
all the families of the earth be blessed." 

God told Abram that he should no more 
be called Abram, but Abraham, which 
means the Father of a great people. He 
also told him that Sarai's name should be 

ABRAM BOWING BEFORE THE LORD. , -, . , , . , ^ . 

changed to barah, which means .rrincess. 
So after this they were called Abraham and Sarah. 




For Older Boys and Girls. 



WE are taught in this history how necessary it was for God to give a 
special revelation of Himself to Abram. The people round about 
Abram were idolaters. God revealed to Abram His own truth, 
and told him of a Saviour who was to come. 

We are taught that great lives are trained by great promises. Abram's 
orders meant a difficult journey and separation from friends. His faith 
was large and his obedience prompt. It was a self-denying faith and a 
cheerful obedience. His courage was sublime. Abram's religion was ac- 
tive, not passive. Wherever he went, he shed blessings around him. He 
became a blessing, not to his own time and the Jews only, but to all ages 
and to the whole world. 

God kept all His promises to His faithful servant. 

In its spiritual sense the call of God to Abram is made to every one of 
us. Our divine Lord says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all 
these things shall be added unto you." New duties, new fields of labor, 
new demands upon our time and faculties, new consecration — all are God's 
call to us. 

In this story of Abram and Lot we have a sad example of the frailty 
of friendship. We are taught very forcibly, also, how riches cause strife 
and divisions. Money is like fire : it is a cruel master ; but it is a very 
good servant. Abram was the friend of God, and was a successful busi- 
ness man. He used his means for the glory of God. Abram acted nobly, 
magnanimously and graciously. If our servants quarrel, let there be no 
strife between thee and me, he said to Lot. Take thy choice where 
thou wilt go, and we will part in peace. 

Lot was a good man, but there was something of selfishness about 
him. He made his choice without thinking seriously of the consequences. 
He was drawn by degrees into the citizenship of Sodom, and suffered the 
sad consequences. Let us not forget the Scripture command : "In all thy 



THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. 



ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths." What a splen- 
didly courageous thing it was for Abram to do, to rescue Lot ! What mar- 
velous skill, celerity and generalship did he show! 

Such a friendship is worth possessing. We all have a Friend who 
sticketh closer than a brother. 



The Destruction of Sodom. 




Genesis xviii-xix. B. C. i8g8. 

BRAHAM was now living at a place called 
Mamre. One day he was sitting at the door of 
his tent, about the hour of noon. He looked 
up and saw three men quite near him, who 
looked like travelers. Abraham at once rose 
up, ran out to meet them, and bowed his face 
to the ground as a mark of politeness. He 
then asked them to sit down and rest under the 
shade of the trees close by his tent, and let him 
bring them some water that their feet might be washed. No one in those 
days wore shoes as they are now worn. Instead of shoes, some people 
wore a sole only, tied to the foot with strings, which kept the feet from 
being hurt, but could not keep off the dust and dirt as shoes do. Others 
went barefoot. So when they came in from a walk or a long journey, 
the first thing to be done was to bathe the feet. This gave rest, and ease, 
and comfort. When guests came, a bowl of 
water was always brought by the host to wash 
their feet. After bringing them some water, 
Abraham said he would go and bring them 
something to eat. And they told him to do as 
he had said. These men were angels sent 
from God to tell good news, as we shall see, 
to Abraham and Sarah. They sat outside of 
the tent under the shade of the tree, while 
Abraham went into the tent to tell Sarah to sarah at the door of the tent. 
take some flour and make some cakes, and bake them very quickly. I 
think Sarah had been standing very near the door of the tent, and heard 
what the angels and Abraham had said. 

While she was getting ready to bake these on the hot stones in the 
fire place, Abraham ran to his cattle and took a fat calf, tender and good, 
and said to a young man, one of his servants, "kill it, and roast it quickly.'" 
When all was ready, Abraham brought some butter and milk, and the 
roasted calf or veal. 




4 2 



THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM 



Then they told Abraham and Sarah that God would soon give them a 
son, which was, indeed good news to them both. Then the three men 



■.■.'. ■■■:■■ 



..:.■>■■" 



■:■; 










ABRAHAM AND THE THREE ANGELS. 



got up and took their leave, and Abraham walked with them some dis- 
tance, and then came back to his tent. 

God kept His promise to Abraham and Sarah, because they believed 
in Him. In a year they had a little son. His name was Isaac. His 
father and mother loved him greatly, for he was a good child, and God 
loved him, also. And now God made known to Abraham that He was 
going to burn up Sodom, and Gomorrah, which was a town near Sodom, 
with fire, because the people were so wicked. And Abraham felt very 
sorry that Sodom should be burned up where Lot and his family lived. 
And he prayed to God not to burn it up if fifty good people could be found 
in it. And God said He would not burn it if fifty righteous people were 
living there. And Abraham said, there might be forty-five 
righteous persons in it. God said He would spare the city if there 
were forty-five. Abraham said, perhaps there might be forty, or thirty, 
or twenty, or ten good people in it. And God said, I will not destroy it 
if there are ten righteous persons in the city. After the Lord had ceased 
talking with Abraham, then Abraham went back to his tent. 

Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom in the evening, when two angels, 
who looked like men, came to him. In those days the cities in that coun- 
try had walls round them to keep their enemies out. People had to go in and 
out through gates, which were shut at night and in times of danger. 
These angels were, perhaps, two of the angels who had been talk- 



THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. 



43 



ing to Abraham. When Lot saw them, he 
rose up to meet them, and bowed himself with 
his face to the ground. And Lot said to them, 
I pray you come into my house, and stay all 
night, and I will wash your feet, and you shall 
rise up early and go on your way. 

But they said, Nay, but we will stay in the 
street all night. But Lot asked them very 
earnestly not to do that, but to enter into his 
house. At last they did so, and Lot made 
them a feast, and they did eat. Then they asked Lot if he had had any 
sons or daughters, and any daughters that were married, with their hus- 
bands, in addition to those who were in the house with him. And they 
told him that he must take them all out of the city, with whatever things 
he had, for the Lord was going to destroy the city because it was so 
wicked. 




LOT BOWTNG BEFORE THE AKGELS. 




THE DESTRUCTION OP 80D0M. 



And Lot went out and said to his daughters and their husbands, Up, 
get you out of this city, for the Lord will destroy it. But they did not 
believe him. It seemed to them as though he were speaking mocking 
words. When the morning came the angels said to Lot, Arise, quickly, 
hasten, take thy wife and thy two daughters who are here, out of the city, 
lest you all be burned up in it. But Lot did not hasten fast enough. He 
stopped, perhaps, to take something that he held to be of great value out 
of the house. Then the angels took hold of his hand, and the hand of his 



44 THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM. 

wife, and the hand of his two daughters, and took them quickly out of the 
city. And the angels said to him, Escape for thy life, look not behind 
thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountains, lest thou 
be burned up. And Lot asked the Lord to let him go to a little city, 
called Zoar, to live in, instead of dwelling upon the mountains. And he 
prayed the Lord not to burn Zoar up. And the Lord granted his prayer, 
and told him to hasten and escape thither. So Lot made haste and en- 
tered Zoar as the sun was rising. 

Then the Lord rained fire and brimstone out of heaven upon Sodom 
and Gomorrah. And He destroyed those cities and the wicked people 
living in them, and the things which grew in the ground. Lot and his 
two daughters escaped, but Lot's wife looked back, and died for not obey- 
ing God, and she was changed into a pillar of salt. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



IN this story we see that Abraham's choice results in his receiving God 
into his house and into his heart, Lot's results in his fleeing before the 
flaming sword of vengeance. Abraham prays for a doomed city, 
while Lot has to escape from it. Abraham's prayer is abrupt, almost 
rough and familiar, but yet it has filial fear and deep reverence. It is a 
persistent prayer. It is an intercessory prayer. It is based on the good-* 
ness of God, and that God does often spare the bad for the sake of the 
good. The righteous few would have saved the city. The one only 
righteous interceding Saviour will deliver, by His righteousness, all the 
sinners who will fully trust in Him. 

In the story of the Destruction of Sodom there are four clearly marked 
stages. The lingering of Lot in the doomed city, and the friendly force 
which dragged him from it; the prayer of abject fear, and the wonderful 
answer; the awful catastrophe; and the fate of the wretched woman 
who looked back. Lot's choice made with a main regard to self alone, 
in entering Sodom, resulted in losing all that he had gained. 

The words, "Escape for thy life, look not behind thee," ring in our 
ears. As swift and as sudden as the coming of the Destruction of Sodom 
is to be the coming of the Son of Man, even as the lightning which 
rushes in one fierce, blinding flash from one side of heaven to the other. 

Be ready! Escape! Look not back! Look unto Him who alone can 
save. 





LOT ESCAPING FROM SODOM. 



4 6 



ABRAHAM AND HAGAR ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH. 



Abraham ahd Hagar-Abraham ahd 

abimelech. 




Genesis xxii. B. C. i8gy. 

S soon as the child Isaac grew to be a larger boy, 
Abraham made him a feast. At this feast Ish- 
mael, the son of Hagar, mocked Isaac. Perhaps 
he was filled with envy at what Abraham was 
doing for Isaac. Sarah saw him mocking her 
son, and she was greatly displeased with Ish- 
mael, and she begged Abraham to send him and 
his mother away. Abraham did not wish to do 
this, for he did not think it was for the best. 
But God spoke to him, and told him to do what 

Saran wished to be done, for Isaac was the true son of promise. So the 

next day he rose up early, and gave bread to Hagar, a bottle, made of 

goat skin, filled with water. And Hagar took Ishmael, and went into 

the wilderness or waste lands of Beersheba. By and by all the water in 

the bottle was gone, and 

there was nothing for the 

child to drink. He grew 

very weak and faint, and 

Hagar thought he would 

die. And she laid him be- 
neath a bush in the shade, 

and went off a little way, 

and sat down, and hid her 

face and cried, for she loved 

her boy very dearly, and 

did not want to see him 

die. And then God, who 

had seen her and heard her 

weeping, spoke to her out 

of heaven and said, by His 

angel, What ails thee, Ha- 
gar ? fear not ; for God hath 

heard the voice of the lad 

where he is. Rise, lift up 

the lad and hold him in 

thine arms. And the angel 

said he should live, and be 

ABRAHAM SENDING HAGAR A "WAT. 




THE OFFERING OF ISAAC. 



47 



the head of a great tribe or nation. And God showed her a well of wa- 
ter very near her in that desert place, and she went and filled the bottle 
with water and gave the lad to drink, and he was soon well and strong 
once more. 

And God was kind to Ishmael; and the lad grew to be a man, and he 
dwelt in the wilderness, and the woods that were in it, and became an 
archer, and had great skill with his bow. And his mother took him a 
wife out of the land of Egypt, where she was born. 

Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, in whose country Abraham 
was dwelling, came to Abraham and said, God is with thee in all thou do- 
est. Now make a covenant with me, that is, promise me solemnly that 
thou wilt do no harm to me, or to my son, or to my son's son. And 
Abraham said, I will so promise thee. But Abimelech's servants took 
away a well of water from Abraham. In those countries a well of water 
was of the greatest value, for, as there were very few streams or rivers, 
the flocks and herds depended upon the water found in the wells, which 
had to be dug. Abimelech told Abraham he did not know that the well 
had been taken away by his servants. So they made a new covenant be- 
tween them. And Abraham gave Abimelech seven lambs, that he might 
not forget that Abraham dug the well. And Abraham planted a grove in 
Beersheba, and there he worshipped God. And he lived in the land of 
the Philistines many days. 



The Offering of Isaac. 




Genesis 



B. C. 1872. 



ND now God wished to try the faith and love 
of Abraham, to see whether he would do all 
that God told him to do. God knew that 
Abraham loved Isaac, who was now a large 
boy, more than all his gold and silver, and 
tents, and sheep, and goats. He wished to 
see whether Abraham would give Isaac 
back to God in the way God asked him to 
do it. God did not mean to have Abraham 
really give up Isaac, but He wanted to see 
if Abraham was wiMing to do so. God said, 
Take now your son, your only son Isaac, and offer him up on an altar, in 
a place that I will show you. Abraham, you know, very often built an 
altar of stones, and offered lambs, calves, pigeons and doves on them. 
Now he was told to offer up Isaac in the same way. 



48 THE OFFERING OF ISAAC, 

It was a very hard thing for Abraham to do. No one can tell how 
hard it was. But Abraham wished to obey God in all things. So Abra- 

■ ham cut down some wood to burn, and put the 
Abraham knew that this was the place where 

the top of the hill. Then he took the wood off 
tne ass and put it on Isaac's shoulders, and tied it with a cord. Then he 
took some fire in a vessel in one of his hands, and a knife in the other, 
and Abraham and Isaac walked up the hill together. Abraham had not 
told Isaac that he was to offer him for a sacrifice. So Isaac said to Abra- 
ham, "Father." And Abraham said, "Here am I, my son." And Isaac 
said, "Here is fire and wood, but where is the lamb?" And Abraham said, 
"My son, God will find a lamb." But he did not say to Isaac who the 
lamb was to be. 

When they reached the top of the hill Abraham took the wood off 
Isaac's shoulders. Then he piled up the stones and built an altar, and put 
the wood upon it. Then, I think, he told Isaac what God wished him to 
do, for Isaac was a large, strong boy, and it would not have been easy for 
Abraham to have put him on the altar if Isaac had not been willing that 
he should do so. But Isaac loved his father, and loved God, too. He did 
not think that his father would do wrong, or that God would tell him to 
do a wrong act. So he let his father bind his hands and feet with the 
cord, and put him on the altar. 

And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up, when he heard a loud 
voice, saying, Abraham! Abraham! And Abraham said, Here am I. 
And God said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything 
unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not 
withheld thy son, thine only son, from me. And Abraham saw a ram 
caught in the bushes by the horns. And he took it and offered it up for a 
sacrifice upon the altar instead of Isaac. How thankful and happy both 
Abraham and Isaac were for what God had done. And Abraham called 
the place by a name which meant, "The Lord will provide." And the 
angel of the Lord told Abraham that because he had done what God 
wished him to do, his descendants should be as many as the sand upon the 
sea shore, and that they should gain the victory over their enemies. 

Then Abraham and Isaac returned unto the young men, and they all 
went back home again. 




THE SACRIFICE OP ISAAC. 



50 THE OFFERING OF ISAAC. 

Abraham and Sarah had become very old; and at last Sarah died at 
the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years, in the land of Canaan, 
and Abraham mourned and wept for her. And he asked the people of 
the county for a place where he might bury Sarah. They told him that 
he might bury her in any of their sepulchres that he chose. 

Sepulchres are places in which people bury their dead. In that coun- 
try they were made by hollowing out caves in the side of a rock, and 
rolling large stones against the entrances to shut them up. It was very 
kind of the people among whom Abraham lived, to tell him that he could 
bury the body of his wife in any of their burying places. But Abraham 
wanted a sepulchre of his own. 

There was a man in that land, Ephron by name, who owned a field 
full of trees; and there was a cave at one end of it. Abraham sent word 

to Ephron that he would like to buy this 
cave from him; and Ephron said that he 
might have both the cave and the field for 
nothing. But Abraham, bowing himself 
down before Ephron and the men that were 
with him, answered, that he did not want 
to take the field for nothing, but would rath- 
er pay for it. So Ephron sold it to Abra- 
ham for four hundred shekels of silver, and 
Abraham weeping roR sarah. Abraham became the owner of it, and he 
made the cave his sepulchre, and there he buried Sarah, and wept for her. 




For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



IN this story we have the old, old story of consecration to God, of the 
dearest and best we have. But as a part of the history of the devel- 
opment of Religion, and of the idea of God, we have here an account 
of a new enlargement of the mind of man with regard to his obligations 
to God. We see here a transition in thought: it is not Isaac whom Abra- 
ham is literally to offer to God, but a ram. In this story we see man 
emerging out of the darkness which made human sacrifice acceptable to 
God into the more gentle thought that animal sacrifice would be more 
pleasing to the Most High. This story, therefore, in this most interesting 
incident, vividly pictures for us one of the most wonderful, religious tran- 
sitions or upward steps of the human mind. It is that step in the Jacob lad- 
der which leads us to the full thought that what God demands of our 
hands is the life blood of the spiritual man — his soul. Therefore God in- 
tended to teach Abraham a most important truth in this command to offer 
up Isaac. It was, that the spiritual consecration of man is voluntary surren- 
der to God. It was to teach him that it was not in the outward but the in- 
ward act that the true sacrifice was to be made. Abraham was to make 
such a consecration of Isaac to the Lord as would be shown by the offer- 







HEAD OF LOT'S WIFE. 



5 2 ISAAC AND REBEKAH. 

ing up of the whole burnt offering of an animal upon the altar. Abraham 
understood the command to be literally to slay his son, God meant it 
should be taken spiritually. Just when this spiritual offering, this heart 
surrender of the boy is about to pass into the literal surrender, by the slay- 
ing of Isaac, the Angel of the Lord prevented the deed. The offering of 
Isaac by Abraham was the type of what God did for us. He gave His 
Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. The willingness of Isaac is the type 
of Christ's voluntary sacrifice of Himself. 

The story shows us that God's help is very likely to reach us just when 
we need it most. It teaches us also that great truth of the substitution of 
Christ for the believing sinner. The ram took Isaac's place. God ac- 
cepted it in the stead of the son of Abraham, Isaac went free. It further 
teaches us to fix in our memories a place or time where God has shown us 
signal mercy, as Abraham did when he called this place on Moriah "Je- 
hovah Jireh," that is, The Lord will provide. 



Isaac ahd Rebekah. 




Genesis xxiv. B. C. i&57> 

| HEN Isaac, the son of Abraham, was grown up to be a 
man, his father wished him to take a wife from one of 
the women of the land of Chaldea where Abraham 
used to live ; for the women who lived in the land of 
Canaan worshipped idols, and Abraham desired a pious 
wife for his son, and not an idolater. 

So he sent Eliezer, one of his oldest and most trustworthy servants, to 
Mesopotamia, the name of a part of Chaldea, to choose a wife for Isaac. 
Eliezer went forth with ten camels laden with provisions and presents; 
and he took some men with him to help him take care of the camels. 
After a long journey they came near to the city where Abraham had 
directed them to go. Tired and weary they sat down by a well one even- 
ing, about the time when the women of the city came out to draw water. 
And Eliezer prayed to the Lord to point out to him the future wife of 
Isaac in this way, that, when the daughters of the city of Nahor came to 
draw water from the well, and he should ask a little for himself, not only 
should the one the Lord had chosen give him to drink, but should also of- 
fer water to his camels. 

So, while he was praying, a beautify young woman, named Rebekah, 
came forth from the city to draw water. When she had filled her pitcher, 
he requested her to give him to drink. Rebekah immediately did as he 
wished, and also drew water for the camels. The faithful servant took 
this as a proof that she was the maiden he had come to seek, and he im- 
mediately gave her an earring and two bracelets of gold for a present. 




REBEKAH JOURNEYING. 



54 



ISAAC AND REBEKAH. 




And he asked whose daughter she was, and whether there was room in 
her father's house for him and his company to lodge. Rebekah told him 
that she was the daughter of Bethuel; she also said that her father could 
lodge him, and would find a stable and food for his camels. When the ser- 
vant heard that she was the daughter of Bethuel, he knew that she was 
one of Abraham's relations, for Abraham was Bethuel's uncle. And 
Eliezer was glad and worshipped the Lord, and thanked Him for directing 
him to the place where his master's relations lived. 

Then Rebekah left the servant and ran home and told her mother 
about all these things. And Laban, Rebekah's brother, ran out of the 
city to the man, and brought him and his company to their house. Then 

he helped them to unload the camels, and gave 
straw and food for them, and he gave the men 
water to wash their feet. Afterwards food was 
set before Abraham's servant that he might eat. 
But he said he would neither eat nor drink until 
he had made known to them why he had come. 
Then he told them that he was Abraham's 
servant; that the Lord had blessed Abraham and 
made him great, and had given him gold and sil- 
ver, and flocks, and herds, and camels, and asses; 
and he had given him a son also, to whom Abraham would leave all his 
wealth. And he told him that Abraham had sent him into their country 
to find a wife for Isaac, and how he had prayed to the Lord to guide him, 
and the way in which his prayer was answered . by sending Rebekah to 
give him water to drink, and his animals, also. Then the servant asked 
them whether they were willing to let Rebekah go home with him to be 
the wife of Isaac. Bethuel and Laban felt sure that the Lord had brought 
Abraham's servant there, and that He wished Rebekah to be Isaac's wife, 
and so they said she might go if she was willing to do so. Then Abra- 
ham's servant was very glad when he heard this, and he bowed down to 
the earth and worshipped the Lord. And he brought forth jewels of sil- 
ver and jewels of gold, and beautiful clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. 
And he also gave fine presents to her brother and mother. Then he ate 
and drank with them. 

Abraham's servant wanted to go back as soon as the morning came, but 
Rebekah's mother did not want her to go so soon. They said let her stay 
with us at the least ten days, and then she shall go. But he said, Do not 
hinder me, let me go at once to my master Abraham, seeing that the Lord 
has blessed me in my coming. 

Then they called Rebekah and asked her it she would go with him. 
And she said, I will go. Then they blessed Rebekah, and prayed for her 




THE MEETING OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH. 



$6 THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB. 

that God might bless her too. And Rebekah and her nurse went with 
Abraham's servant and his men, and as Isaac went out one evening to 
think about God and His goodness, he looked up and saw the camels com- 
ing, and went to meet them. And Rebekah asked Abraham's servant 
who it was that was coming to meet them. And he told her it was Isaat 
Then she got down from the camel and put her veil upon her face. 

Then after meeting each other Isaac brought her into his tent and they 
were married, and Isaac loved her. Soon after this Abraham died, leaving 
all that he had to Isaac. And he was buried by the side of his dearly 
loved wife Sarah. 

For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



WHAT a beautiful story this is. Its fascination lies in the simplicity and 
guilelessness of Isaac, and of the loving trustfulness of Rebekah. A 
loving daughter in a home is like a light shining in it — like starlight 
to its night and sunbeam to its day. Such was Rebekah to her mother's 
home. If we had no other proof of the truth that love is the foundation 
and uppermost fact, the supreme thing in the universe, we have enough 
in the charm which the simplest love story has for human kind. "All 
men love, love." It is the deepest life of man, and the Bible tells us it is 
the deepest life of God, "for God is love." 

The love of Christ for His Bride, the Church, is here beautifully set 
forth. In the willingness of Rebekah to go to Isaac, we have the test of 
true discipleship ; the willingness to leave all and follow Christ. In the 
call to follow Him there is to be no delay. The question now is asked us, 
wilt thou go? Let the answer be prompt and decisive, I will go. 



The Birth of Esau and Jacob. 




Genesis xxv-xxviii. B. C. 1773-1733- 

FTER awhile Abraham died when he was a hundred and 
seventy-five years old. And they buried him in the 
cave which he had bought of Ephron, and laid him by 
the side of his wife Sarah. 

And God gave to Isaac and Reoekah two little sons, 
who were twins, that is they were born nearly at the 
very same time. These children were called Esau and Jacob. Esau was 
just a little older than Jacob, and was very different from his brother. 
He was high spirited, and fond of outdoor sports like hunting. Jacob 
liked to be indoors, and to look after the sheep and the goats. 

Esau was the favorite child of his father, because he used to bring to 
Isaac the meat of the deer which he killed, of which Isaac was 
very fond. Jacob was the favorite child of his mother, because he was 
thoughtful and quiet. 



THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB. 



57 



Esau, because he was the older, soon would have the birthright, as it 
was called, when his father died. This birthright meant that he was to 
have the most of the things which his father owned. This was the cus- 
tom at that time. 

Jacob's mother was quite anxious that he should have in some way the 
birthright. One day when Esau had been out 
hunting he came home tired, faint, and hungry* 
and found his brother eating pottage — a sort of 
stew made of vegetables. Esau asked Jacob to 
give him some of this pottage. Jacob said he 
would do so if Esau would give him his birth- 
right in exchange. So Esau sold his birthright 
for a mess of pottage, showing how very little he 
cared for God's blessing. It was wrong in Esau 
to sell his birthright which God had given him ; and it was wrong for 
Jacob to buy the birthright from his brother in this way. 

Then there came famine in the land of Canaan where Isaac was living, 
and he moved away into Gerar, in the country where Abimelech, the 
King of the Philistines, lived. This was the king that made the covenant 
of which we have before read, with Abraham. Then Isaac thought he 





ESAU SELLS HIS BIRTHRIGHT. 



would go and live in Egypt, but the Lord told him to stay in Gerar. 
And the Lord said that he would keep him and would keep the promise 
with him which he had made to his father Abraham, and would make his 
descendants as many in number as the stars of heaven. And Isaac became 






mm* . 



58 THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB. 

very rich. He had a great many flocks and herds, and servants to take 
care of them. And Abimelech, the King of the Philistines, told his peo- 
ple that anybody who should harm Isaac or Sarah should be put to death. 
And Isaac sowed seed in the earth and it brought forth a hundred times as 
much as was sown. And the Lord blessed Isaac and he became a great 
man, as well as a rich man, in that country. 

And he became so great and so rich that the king and his people 
wanted him to go away from them. So Isaac went away and digged 
again the wells for his cattle and herds which Abraham had dug before. 

Then Isaac moved to another place and dug a 
'®^jjfc well in a valley and found a spring of living 
water. Then the herdsmen of that country 
came to the herdsmen of Isaac, and strove with 
them, and said the well is ours 

Then Isaac moved to another place still, and 
dug another well. And these quarrelsome 
herdsmen said this well is also ours. Then 
-S>^8SRSi / Isaac moved still to another ];>lace and dug a 

thehebdsmen striving. well. And the herdsmen of that country did 

not strive for it. And Isaac moved thence and dwelt in Beersheba. 

And the Lord appeared to him there and told him to fear not; for He 
would bless him, and keep him from all harm. And Isaac built an altar 
there and worshipped God. And Abimelech, the King of the Philistines, 
went to Isaac from Gerar, with two of his friends. And Isaac said to 
them, why have you come to me seeing you hate me and have sent me 
away from you? 

And they told Isaac they had come to be friends, for they saw that the 
Lord was with him. And they made a covenant with Isaac that they 
would be good and kind to each other. And Isaac made them a feast and 
they ate and drank with him. And early in the morning Isaac sent them 
away with pleasant words, and they went back again in peace. 

And the same day Isaac's servants came to him with joy, and said, we 
have found water in the well which we have been digging. They had 
been at work a long time in digging it, and were glad to have found 
water. 

And Esau was forty years old when he took, as his wives, two of the 
daughters of the people of Canaan. And Isaac and Rebekah had great 
grief of mind because he had married women who worshipped idols in- 
stead of the living God. 

When Isaac had grown very old and become nearly blind, he wished 
to bless his son Esau before he died. So he called Esau to him, and told 
him to go out into the field and hunt a deer, and make savory meat for 




ISAAC BLESSING JACOB. 



60 THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB. 

him to eat, and then he would give Esau his blessing. And Esau went 
out into the fields to get the meat, which was called venison, for his father. 

Now Rebekah, as we have learned, was very anxious that Jacob 
should have his father's blessing; so, after Esau had gone for the venison 
she told Jacob to bring her two little kids from the flock, of which she 
prepared meat that tasted and smelled like venison, such as Isaac loved. 
She then dressed Jacob in Esau's clothes, and covered his hands and neck 
with the skins of the kids, that his father, whose eyes were now dim, 
when he heard Jacob's voice, might, at least, believe by the skin on his 
hands that it was Esau, who was a hairy man. 

Then Jacob took the food, which his mother had cooked, to his father, 
and demanded his blessing. Isaac thought that Esau had been away a 
very short time, and he asked him how it was he had returned so quickly. 
Jacob told a lie, and said that God had helped him to find the venison. 
Then Isaac, who could not see, thought the voice sounded like Jacob's, so 
he put his hands on him and felt the clothes and the false hair on his 
hands and neck, and asked him, "Art thou my very son Esau?" And 
Jacob, forgetting that God could hear and punish him, told another lie, 
and answered that he was Esau. Then Isaac ate the meat, and gave Jacob 
the blessing which he had intended for Esau. 

Jacob had scarcely left his father when Esau came back from hunting, 
and brought the venison to his father, and asked for the blessing. Isaac 
was greatly surprised and very sorry when he learned what had taken 
place, and that his son Jacob had so deceived him ; but he felt that he 
could not now take away the blessing from Jacob. Esau uttered a great 
and exceeding bitter cry, and said, Bless me, too, O my father. So Isaac 
gave him a blessing also, but not so great a one as Jacob's. Esau was 
very angry with his brother Jacob, and hated him, and said that he would 
kill him as soon as their father was dead. 

Jacob afterwards became very sorry that he had been led into tempta- 
tion. He repented before God, and God forgave him. Although Esau 
had been greatly wronged, he ought not to have nursed feelings of hatred 
against Jacob. We must forgive others as we pray to God to forgive us. 

Rebekah heard that Esau had threatened to kill Jacob, so she told 
Jacob that he must go from home, that he might be out of Esau's way. 
She prevailed upon Isaac to agree to his going, saying that she could not 
be happy if her son took a wife from the daughters of Canaan, as Esau 
had done. So Jacob was sent to the house of Bethuel, her father, to 
choose a wife from the daughters of her brother Laban. Jacob had to 
walk all day, and when night came he lay down on the ground, with a 
stone for his pillow, and fell asleep. While asleep he dreamed that he saw 
a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and holy angels going up and 




JACOB'S DREAM. 



62 



JACOB AND RACHEL. 



down the ladder. And he also dreamed that he saw the Lord standing 
above it. And the Lord told Jacob that He would be with him and help 
him wherever he should go. He told him, also, 
that he would give the land of Canaan to him 
and his descendants, and that his descendants 
should be very many people. 

When Jacob woke up in the morning, he 
set up the stone which he had used for a pillow 
as an altar. And he called the name of the 
place Bethel, which means the House of God 

And Jacob promised the Lord that if the 
Lord would be with him and keep him in the 
way he should go, and would give him bread to eat and clothes to wear, 
and bring him back again to his father's house in peace, then he would 
give a tenth of what he should have unto the Lord. That is, he would 
give that portion of all his flocks and herds and gold and silver to do the 
work of the Lord among men. 




JACOB S DREAM. 



Jacob and Rachel 




Genesis xxix-xxxii. B. C. 1760-IJ39. 

ND as Jacob began to go, he now felt sure that 
God would be with him. So he kept on his way 
to the East until he came near to Haran, where 
Laban lived, and he saw there a well in a field, 
with a great stone upon the top of the well to 
cover it. 

And Jacob said to the shepherds, "Do you 
know a man called Laban?" They said, "Yes, 
we know him." And Jacob asked if he was 
well. The shepherds replied, "He is well; and here is his daughter 
Rachel coming with the sheep." While they were speaking, Rachel came 
with her father's sheep, which she tended. And Jacob went near and 
rolled away the stone and watered the flock for her ; and he kissed Rachel, 
and told her he was Rebekah's son. Then she ran and told her father. 

When Laban heard that his sister Rebekah's son was come, he was 
glad, and ran out to meet Jacob and kissed him, and brought him to his 
house. Jacob told Laban that he would stay with him and take care of 
his sheep, but Laban wanted to pay him for his services. Laban had an- 
other daughter besides Rachel, whose name was Leah, but she was not so 
beautiful as her sister. Now Jacob loved Rachel very much, and he said 




JACOB IN THE HOUSE OF LABAN. 




64 JACOB AND RACHEL. 

to Laban, I will serve thee seven years if thou wilt give me Rachel for a 
wife. And Laban said he would be greatly pleased to have Jacob for a 
son-in-law. So Jacob served seven years, and they seemed but a few days 
to him, so great was his love for Rachel. When the seven years were 
ended Laban would not give Rachel to Jacob because she was the younger 
daughter, but he gave him the older daughter, Leah, for a wife. 

Then Laban said to Jacob, Serve me seven years more and I will give 
thee Rachel for thy wife. And Jacob did so. So he dwelt with them 

both, which was not thought to be a sin in those 
days. But he loved Rachel more than Leah. 
Leah became the mother of several sons, but it 
was a good many years before Rachel had a 
child. At last the Lord gave her one and she 
called his name Joseph. As soon as Joseph was 
born Jacob told Laban that he wanted to go back 
to the land he came from. And he asked Laban 
to give him his wives and his flocks and herds 
jacob and the BLOCKS. an d other things that he owned, that he might go 
in peace, and see his father and mother once more. 

But Laban did not wish to have him go, and begged him to stay. He 
had found, he said, that the Lord had blest him for Jacob's sake. He 
said Jacob might have some of the land, and of the flocks that he took 
care of, if he would still serve him. So Jacob stayed and took care of 
Laban's flocks, and soon he had sheep and goats of his own, which he 
kept in a place separate from Laban's. 

Things went on well for a while, Jacob grew to be quite a rich man. 
He had great herds of cattle and his sons took care of them. He had 
men servants, and maid servants, and camels and asses. But one day 
Jacob heard Laban's sons say some hard things of him. And he said that 
Laban was jealous of him, for he did not give him the kind looks that he 
used to give. So Jacob felt that the time had come for them to part. 

And the Lord told Jacob to go back to the land from which he came, 
that is the land of Canaan. And the Lord said to him that he would deal 
well with him, and take care of him and keep him from harm. 

So Jacob set out on his journey. He put his wives and children upon 
camels, and he took with him all his cattle and all his goods, and so went 
towards Canaan. Laban had gone to sheer his sheep some distance away, 
and did not know until the third day that Jacob had gone. Then Laban 
was angry, and he took with him several of his friends, and went after 
Jacob to bring him back. Seven days he followed after Jacob, and came 
up near him on Mount Gilead. 

Then the Lord came to Laban in a dream at night and said to him, 



JACOB AND RACHEL. 



65 




JACOB WATERING THE FLOCKS OF EABAN. 

Take heed that thou do no harm to Jacob. Then Laoan overtook Jacob 
and asked him why he had gone away without letting him know, and 
taken his daughters Rachel and Leah with him, as though they had been 
captives taken by the sword. And he said, why did you not tell me you 
were going, and I would have sent you away with singing and music. 
You did not let me even kiss my daughters and their children before they 
went. You have not done wisely in going in this manner. It is in my 
power to do you harm, but the God of your father told me last night not 
to say anything or do anything that would harm yon. 

And Jacob said to him, I was afraid that you would not let your 
daughters go with me and so I went away quietly. And Jacob felt quite 
angry with Laban for following after him in such a manner. He said to 
Laban that he had served him twenty years, and had taken the best of 



66 



MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU. 



care of his flocks and herds. He had watched them by day and by night, 
he had cared for them in heat and frost and cold; he had tended them in 
time of draught, and Laban had neither been 
generous to him nor just all this time. And 
Jacob said if the God of my father, the God of 
Abraham and the fear of Isaac had not been 
with me you would have sent me away empty. 
Then Laban spoke kindly to Jacob. And 
he told him that he loved his daughters and 
their children; they were dear to him. And 
he made a covenant with Jacob, and they 
promised to be friends to each other. And Jacob told him that he would 
always love his daughters Rachel and Leah. Then they made a heap of 
stones as a witness that they would be always friends. Then Jacob of- 
fered up a sacrifice of thanks and praise unto the Lord. And Laban and 
the men that were with him sat down and ate with Jacob, and they 
stopped all night with him. And early in the morning Laban rose up, 
and kissed Jacob and his daughters and his grandchildren, and blessed 
them, and they went back to his home. 




LABAN AND JACOB. 



Meetihg of Jacob ahd Esau. Death of Isaac. 
Birth of Behjamih. 



Genesis xxxii-xxxv. B. C. 1739-1732* 

HEN Jacob went on his way to Canaan. And 
angels of God met him, and when he saw them 
he called them God's host or army. It may be 
God had sent them to keep off harm from Jacob. 
And when Jacob came near to the place where 
Esau was, he began to be afraid of meeting that 
brother from whose anger he had fled twenty 
years before. And he sent messengers to tell 
Esau that he had been living with Laban until 
that time, and that he had plenty of oxen and asses and flocks, and men- 
servants and maidservants, and begged him to be friends with him. He 
wished Esau to know that he had wealth enough of his own, so that he 
would not be a burden and expense to his brother. 

When the messengers returned, they told Jacob that Esau was coming 
out to meet him at the head of four hundred men. Then Jacob was in 
great fear and thought Esau was going to kill him. He began at once to 
divide his followers and his flocks and herds into two companies, so that if 
Esau should attack one company, the other could make haste and flee. 




MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU, 



67 



Then Jacob prayed to the Lord and said, O God of my father Abra- 
ham and my father Isaac, Thou didst tell me to go back to my own coun- 
try and to my kindred, Thou hast blessed me with many good things. I 
crossed over alone this brook when a lad, with but a staff in my hand, and 
now I have two bands of flocks and herds and servants. I am not worthy 
of the least of all thy mercies. Do not let Esau come and kill my wives 
and my children. He then prepared a present for Esau, which he hoped 
might make his brother receive him kindly. He sent two hundred and 
twenty goats, two hundred and twenty sheep, thirty camels, with their 
colts, ten bulls and forty cows and twentv asses and ten little ones. Then 

he divided them into 
droves, and put a servant 
in charge of each drove. 
Then when the man 
with the first drove 
should meet Esau, and 
Esau should ask him 
whose cattle they were, 
and where he was going, 
the servant should say, 
these are thy servant 
Jacob's ; it is . a present 
sent unto my lord Esau. 
And the man with the 
second drove was to say 
the same words when he 
saw Esau. And the 
man with the third drove 
were to say the same, 
and so were the men 
with all the other droves. 
And they were to say to 
Esau also, thy servant 
Jacob is behind us. Then Jacob sent all his family, his flocks and herds 
and servants at night across a deep ravine through which the little river 
Jabbok ran on its way to the Jordan. But he himself remained behind, 
all alone in the quiet darkness. 

And during the night a man who was an angel, or the Lord, wrestled 
with Jacob. And they wrestled together till the morning began to dawn. 
And when the angel saw that he did not throw Jacob to the ground, he 
touched Jacob's thigh, and the thigh was put out of joint, and Jacob was 
lame. 




JACOB WRESTLING WITH THE ANGEL. 



68 



MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU. 



And the angel said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. But Jacob said, 
I will not let thee go except thou bless me. And the angel blessed him, 
and changed his name from Jacob, which means the Supplanter, to Israel, 
meaning A Prince of God. For wondrous power had been granted Jacob 
by the Lord to prevail in this night-long struggle. And Jacob called the 
spot Peniel, meaning The Face of God ; for Jacob said, I have seen the 
Lord face to face. 

When morning dawned Jacob saw Esau coming with his band of f our 
hundred men. Then he took his eleven sons and gave some of theni to 

the two handmaids and 
others to Rachel and 
Leah, that they might 
bring them to Esau when 
he should come near. 
Then he placed himself 
at the head of his family, 
and as he drew near to 
his brother he bowed 
down to the ground 
seven times in token of 
respect. When Esau 
saw this, he ran to meet 
Jacob, and put his arms 
around him and fell on 
his neck, and they kissed 
each other, and shed 
many tears of joy. Then 
Esau looked up and saw 
Rachel and Leah and 
the little children. And 
Esau said, Who are these 
with thee? And Jacob 
said, These are my children that God graciously hath given me. 

Then Rachel and Leah bowed themselves to the ground, and the 
maids bowed themselves, and all the children bowed, and the youngest, 
who was Joseph, also bowed. Then Esau said to Jacob, These droves 
which I met, why did you send them on before you? And Jacob said, 
These were a present for you. But Esau said, I have enough, my brother, 
keep what you have for yourself. And Jacob said, Pray take my present 
for I am so glad you love me. God has been very good to me and has 
given me a great deal. And Jacob begged Esau so much to take it that 
at last he did so. 




MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU. 



BIRTH OF BENJAMIN AND DEATH OF RACHEL. 



6 9 




ESAU EMBRACING JACOB. 



And Esau said to Jacob, Let us take our journey together, and I will 
go before thee. And Jacob said, The children are young and tender, and 
I have young" lambs and goats; and if in one day we were to drive them 

too fast they would die. So Jacob did not go 
with Esau. Then Esau said, Let me leave 
some of my men with you to take care of you. 
And Jacob said there would be no need of 
doing so. Then Esau went to his own home 
among the mountains of Seir, and Jacob went 
on his way to Succoth. There he stayed for a 
little time and made booths for his cattle. 
Booths were sheds made out of the branches 
of trees. When his cattle had rested he went on as far as Shechem and 
bought some land there. And he built an altar to the Lord and lived for 
some years in this green valley of Shechem 

Then God told him to go to Bethel, where on the night of his first 
wonderful vision of the ladder reaching to heaven, he had promised to 
offer a tenth of all his wealth to God if he should return in safety to that 
place. Here he now built an altar, which he called El-Bethel. 

About this time Rebekah's nurse died. Jacob thought a great deal of 
her for the sake of his mother Rebekah, who had died while he was away 
so long from home. And they buried the 
nurse under an oak tree at Bethel. 

And Jacob left Bethel and came near to 
Ephrath, or Ephratah, the early name for 
Bethlehem. And God gave him another 
son, whose name was called Benjamin. But 
Rachel, the little boy's mother, died very 
soon after he was born, and Jacob buried 
her on the way to Ephrath, and set up a 
pillar on her grave to show where she was 
buried. And Jacob traveled onwards until he came to Hebron where his 
father Isaac lived. But after Jacob had come, his father, who was a hun- 
dred and eighty years old, died, and was buried by his two sons in the 
cave of Machpelah, where Abraham and Sarah were buried. 




DEATH OF RACHEL. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



BY this story we see how different the dispositions of children are in the 
same family. Although a great deal has been written about heredity, 
we yet know but little about it. We have also shown us how wrong 
it is for parents to be too partial towards a particular member of the house- 
hold. 



7o 



JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. 



We are also taught that we are not to put a slight upon our privileges. 
Esau did not care much after all for his birthright or he would not have 
sold it for a mess of pottage. Jacob was to blame for taking advantage 
of his brother's necessity. In the course pursued by Rebekah we see how 
one may try to run ahead of Providence, and sorely suffer for it. It was 
the intention of God that Jacob should have the blessing, but Rebekah 
could not wait God's own time to bring it about, and so she did evil that- 
good might come. Both she and Jacob were punished for their sin. She 
was forced to send Jacob away from home, and she never saw him again 
on earth. Jacob was deceived. in his turn by Laban and served fourteen 
years instead of seven for Rachel. 

We are also taught how willing God is to forgive on the penitent ac- 
knowledgment of sin by the sinner. He met Jacob at Bethel. He met 
him again at the brook Jabbok. He turned the heart of Esau towards the 
brother who had wronged him. If we come to Him for pardon through 
Jesus Christ, confessing our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our 
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 



Joseph and His Brethren. 



IJ2Q B ', C. Genesis xxxvii. 

HEN Jacob continued to live near Hebron 
after the death of Isaac. Of all his family 
he loved Joseph the most tenderly, for he 
was the child of his beloved wife Rachel, 
and for a long time her only one. Jacob 
called him the son of his old age. Yet it 
was not for this that he loved him the most, 
but also because Joseph was more obedient 
and kind to him than his other children. 
And Jacob gave him a coat of many colors^ 
but what kind of a coat this was we cannot 
tell, except that it was different from the 
coats which his brethren wore, and more beautiful than theirs. 

When Joseph's brethren saw that their 
father had more love for him than for them- 
selves, their hearts were filled with jealousy, 
and they hated him, and could not speak peace- 
ably to him. 

And Joseph dreamed a dream and he told 
it to his brethren, and they hated him yet the 
more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray 
you, this dream which I have dreamed. We 
were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my 





JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. 



7* 



sheaf arose and stood up, and your sheaves stood round about and bowed 

down to my sheaf. Then his brethren hated him all the more and said, 

Shalt thou indeed reign over us? They saw that his dream meant that he 

was to rule over them sometime. 

And he dreamed yet another dream and told it to his brethren, and 

said, I have dreamed a dream more, and behold the sun and the moon and 

the eleven stars bowed 

down to me. He also told 

this dream to his father, 

and he reproved Joseph and 

said, What is this dream 

that thou hast dreamed? 

Shall I and thy mother and 

thy brethren indeed come 

to bow down ourselves to 

the earth? And his breth- 
ren envied him, but his 

father took note of the 

dreams thinking they 

might come true. 

After a while Joseph 
was sent by his father to 
certain pasture-grounds 
near Shechem, where his 
brothers were at that time? 
taking care of some of 
Jacob's flocks of sheep. 
His errand was to inquire 
and to bring word . how 
they were. But when he Joseph's dream. 

came to Shechem his brethren were not there. And as he was wandering 
in a field, a man found him and asked him what he sought. Joseph an- 
swered that he was seeking his brethren, and he asked the man whether 
he knew where they were. And the man told him that they had gone to 
Dothan. So Joseph went after his brethren, and came towards Dothan. 
And when they saw him coming they began' to talk about putting him to 
death. They said to one another, See this dreamer comes; now let us kill 
him, and throw him into some pit, and we will say some evil beast has 
devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams. 

But Reuben, the eldest, would not consent to such a cruel deed, and 
he persuaded them to put him into a pit without harming him. Reuben 
intended to come back after the others were gone, and take Joseph out 




7 2 



JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. 




JOSEPH SOLD INTO EGYPT. 



and bring him 
home to his father. 
So they concluded 
to do as Reuben 
had said, and as 
soon as Joseph had 
joined them he was 
stripped of his 
gaily-colored coat, 
and thrown into a 
dry pit. Shortly 
after this had been 
done, a party of 
Ishmaelite or Ara- 
bian merchants 
passed by on their 
way to Egypt with 
spices and balm. 
Reuben was not 
with them at that 
time, and Judah 
said, let us not kill 
our brother, but let 
us sell him to the 
Ishmaelites, and 




JACOB SORROWING FOR JOSEPH. 



JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. 



73 



his brethren 
w e r e willing. 
So they sold 
Joseph to them 
for twenty pieces 
of silver, and he 
was taken into 
Egypt. 

When the 
caravan had 
passed on, Reu- 
ben went back 
to the pit, and 
when he did not 
find Joseph there 
he rent his 
clothes, and he 
returned to his 
bret hren and 
said, The child 
is not: and 
I, whither shall 
I go? 

Then the 
brothers took 
Joseph's coat and 
killed a kid of 

the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood : and they brought the coat of 
many colors to their father and said, This have we found ; know now 
whether it be thy son's coat or not. And he knew it and said, It is my 
son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph' is without doubt rent 
in pieces. 

Then Jacob rent his clothes, and put on a coarse kind of cloth called 
sackcloth, which was worn in those days to show that people were in 
mourning. And he mourned for his son many days. And all his sons 
and daughters tried to comfort him. But he would not be comforted and 

o 

told them he should go down to his grave mourning for Joseph. 




DIPPING JOSEPH S COAT IN BLOOD. 



74 



CAPTIVITY OF JOSEPH. 

Captivity of Joseph. 



Genesis xxxix. IJ2Q B. C. 

t. FTER the Ishmaelites had bought Joseph 
from his brethren, they brought him down 
into Egypt, and there he was sold to an 
officer named Potiphar, who was a captain 
of the guard to Pharaoh, king of that coun- 
try; and Joseph became Potiphar's servant 
and lived in his house. And the blessing 
of the Lord was with Joseph; and God 
made whatever Joseph did to prosper. And 
Potiphar soon saw what a blessing had 
come into his house with this servant of the 
Lord, and he came to trust and to love 
Joseph so much that he set him over his 
other servants, and gave him charge of his house, and of all that belonged 
to him ; and so much did he trust to the honesty of Joseph, that he did not 
even take account of his possessions, leaving everything to this faithful 
servant. 

But the wife of Potiphar was a bad woman, and she told a lie to her 
husband against Joseph, and persuaded him that his servant, whom he 
trusted so much, was a wicked man. And Potiphar was very angry when 
he heard the words of his wife, and without trying to find out the truth, 





JOSEPH FALSELY ACCUSED. 



THE DREAMS OF PHARAOHS SERVANTS. 



75 



he cast Joseph into prison, where the king's prisoners were kept. But in 
the dark and gloomy prison the Lord was still with Joseph, and he gave 
him grace and favor in the eyes of the keeper of the prison, so that he set 
Joseph over the other prisoners, and let him watch over them and take 
care of them. 



The Dreams of Pharaoh's Servants. 




Genesis xl. iyiS B, C. 

S Joseph was kept in the prison, one day the 
captain of the guard brought into the prison 
where Joseph was, two servants of King 
Pharaoh, who had offended their lord, and 
gave them into Joseph's charge. One of these 
prisoners was Pharaoh's chief butler, who used 
to bring him wine in a cup to drink, and the 
other was the chief baker, who attended to 
cooking his food. And while they were in 
prison, each of these men dreamed a singular dream in the same night. 
When Joseph came to see them in the morning, they were both very sad 
and anxious because they could not guess the meaning of the dreams. 
And Joseph, seeing them look so sad, asked them why it was. And they 
answered that they had each dreamed a dream, and there was no one to 
explain the meaning of it. And Joseph asked the men if God could not 
explain all things; and he told them to tell him their dreams. 

Then the chief butler told his dream to 
Joseph, and said that he thought he saw a 
vine, and the vine had three branches, but 
no grapes. While he was looking, he saw 
little buds coming out on the branches, and 
they turned into grapes, and grew ripe.' 
And he thought Pharaoh's wine-cup was in 
his hand, so he picked the grapes, and 
pressed the juice out of them into the cup, 
and took the cup to the king that he might 
drink. 

And Joseph interpreted the dream to him, for God told Joseph the 
meaning of it. He said that the three branches which the butler saw on 
the vine meant three days, and that in three days Pharaoh would take 
him out of prison and restore him to his place; and that he would wait on 
the king again, and give the cup into his hand as he did when he was but- 




.IOSEPH IN PRISON. 



7 6 



pharaoh's dreams. 



ler before. And Joseph begged the butler to remember him when he 
should come into the king's house and take his former place, and to tell 
Pharaoh how Joseph had been stolen away out of the land of the He- 
brews, and that since he had been in Egypt he had done nothing for 
which they should put him into prison. 

Then the chief baker, pleased with the interpretation of the butler's 
dream, told his dream, also. He said that he thought he was carrying 
three baskets on his head, one above the other. In the upper basket were 
all kinds of cooked meats for Pharaoh, and the birds came and ate the 
meat out of the basket. Then Joseph told the meaning of the baker's 
dream. He said that the three baskets meant three days; that within three 
days Pharaoh would cause the baker to be hanged on a tree, and the birds 
should come and eat his flesh. 

And the words of Joseph came to pass exactly as he had said. In 
three days the king sent for the butler and baker. It was the king's 
birthday, and he had made a feast to all his servants. And he took the 
chief butler into his service again, and he gave the wine-cup into Pharaoh's 
hand as he used to do when he was butler before. But the chief baker 
was hanged, as Joseph had said. But the chief butler, when he was re- 
stored to the king's favor again, forgot all about Joseph's request, and his 
kindness to him while in prison, and did not speak to Pharaoh of the 
prisoner who, had interpreted his dream, and who was kept wrongfully in 
prison. But though the butler forgot Joseph, God did not. 



Pharaoh's Dreams. 



Genesis xli. 1715 B. C. 



FTER Joseph had been in prison full two 
years, the Lord caused Pharaoh to dream a 
dream. He thought he was standing by the 
River Nile that is in Egypt, and saw seven fat 
cows come up out of the water and begin to 
eat the long grass which grew near the bank 
of the river. Soon after, seven other cows, 
lean and starved, came up out of the river and 
ate up the seven fat cows; and yet, after they 

had eaten them, they looked as thin as they did before. Then the king 

awoke. 

Then he slept and dreamed again. He thought he saw seven very fine 

and full ears of corn growing upon one stalk; when lo! seven thin, empty 

ears sprang up beside them ; and the seven thin ears ate up the seven full 




PHARAOHS DREAMS. 



77 



ears that had come up first. And Pharaoh awoke and found it was a 
dream. 

Now these two dreams troubled the mind of the king, and as soon as 
the morning came he sent for all the wise men within reach, and told 
them what he had dreamed. But with all their wisdom, not one of them 
could explain the dreams. But the dreams of Pharaoh brought Joseph to 
the memory of the chief butler, and he spoke, and said that he remem- 
bered when the king was angry with him and the chief baker, and shut 
them both up in prison, they each of them had a dream in the same night, 
and a young man who was in prison told them the meaning of their 
dreams, and it had come to pass in the very manner that the young, man 
had said. 

Then Pharaoh sent at once for Joseph out of prison; and when he had 
shaved and dressed himself in a becoming manner, he stood in the presence 

of Pharaoh. Then the king said to Joseph, I 
have had a dream, but I can find no one to in- 
terpret it, and I have heard of thee, that thou 
canst tell the meaning of dreams. Joseph an- 
swered that it was not he that could tell the 
meaning, but God, who would tell the king 
the things he wanted to know. Then Pharaoh 
told Joseph his two dreams ; the dream about 
the seven bad cows eating up the seven good 
cows, and the dream about the seven ears of corn. 
When Pharaoh had done speaking, Joseph said that the king's two 
dreams had the same meaning, and that God had caused him to dream 
them to show Pharaoh what He was going to do. The seven good cows, 
and the seven good ears of corn, he said, meant seven years, and the seven 
thin cows and the seven empty ears were seven years, also. For first, 
there should come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of 
Egypt, and after that there would come seven years in which but little 
corn would grow, and there would be a great famine in all the land. 

Joseph then told Pharaoh to choose some wise man to rule over the 
land, and to appoint officers under him to lay by in store-houses a fifth 
part of the great produce of those seven years of plenty, that his people 
might not die of hunger, but have bread to eat during the seven years of 
want. And when Pharaoh listened to the words of this wise young man, 
in whom the Spirit of God was, he knew that it would not be easy to find 
another like him, and that he w r ould be the best one to attend to saving up 
the corn for him. 




JOSEPH EEFOF.E PHARAOH. 



78 



JOSEPH MADE THE RULER OF EGYPT. 



Joseph Made the Ruler of Egypt. 



Genesis xli. 17 15 B. C. 



HEN Pharaoh took a ring from his finger and put it 
upon Joseph's hand; and he caused Joseph to. be 
dressed in beautiful clothing, and put a gold chain 
around his neck, and gave him one of his best chariots 
to ride in. And the people were ordered to bow down 
before Joseph, who was made ruler over all the land 
of Egypt. 

And Pharaoh commanded that every man in Egypt should obey Jo- 
seph; and he gave to Joseph a wife whose name was Asenath, the daugh- 
ter of the priest of On. By this time Joseph was thirty years old. And 





JOSEPH SELLING CORN TO THE EGYPTIANS. 



Joseph's brethren come to buy corn. 79 

he went through all the land and attended to saving up the corn for 
Pharaoh. 

During the seven years of plenty the corn grew in great abundance, 
and the people had much more than they could eat. And Joseph caused 
large store-houses to be built in all parts of the country, and he took a part 
of the corn which grew and put it away in the store-houses, that it might 
be kept safe until the seven years of famine should come. He saved up 
the corn in such quantities that at last his stores could not be measured. 
And God blessed J oseph in all that he did, and made him the father of 
two sons, whom Joseph named Manasseh and Ephraim — which names 
mean "causing to forget" and "fruitful;" for Joseph said, "The Lord hath 
made me forget all my toil, and hath made me fruitful in the land of my 
captivity." 

And when the seven years of plenty passed, the seven bad years fol- 
lowed, and the famine began to afflict the people of the land. The fam- 
ine was not only in the land of Egypt, but in other lands besides ; but in 
Egypt they had bread to eat. And when the people had eaten up all the 
corn thev themselves had, they cried to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh 
said, "Go to Joseph, and what he says to you, do." And Joseph opened 
the store-houses, and sold corn to the Egyptians; and many came from 
other countries to Joseph in Egypt to buy corn. 



Joseph's Brethren Come to Buy Cork 



Genesis xlii. 1707 B. C. 

LL this time Joseph's father and brethren were 
still living in the land of Canaan. It was a 
long time since Joseph had been sold to the 
Ishmaelites, and all this time Jacob had been 
grieving for his dear son, whom he supposed 
to be dead. He little thought that God had 
spared Joseph to comfort him and all his fam- 
ily in his old age. And now, when the famine 
came into the land where Jacob lived, he and 
his sons and their wives and little ones began 
to want bread. And Jacob's sons looked at one another, in doubt what to 
do. Then Jacob said to his sons, Go down into Egypt and buy corn for 
us, that we may live, and not die ; for Jacob had heard that there was 
plenty of corn in Egypt. 

So Jacob's ten sons went down into Egypt to buy corn. You remem- 
ber Jacob had another son, the youngest child of his dear wife Rachel, 




8o 



JOSEPHS BRETHREN COME TO BUY CORN. 




JOSEPH'S BRETHREN BUYING CORN OF J HE EGYPTIANS. 

and the youngest brother of Joseph, and, after the loss of Joseph, Jacob 
could not bear to let Benjamin leave him; and he would not send him on 
the long journey, for he was afraid some evil might happen to him on the 
way. And Joseph's brethren came down into Egypt with others that 
came to buy corn. And Joseph was governor over Egypt; it was he who 
sold the corn. And his brethren came and bowed down before him with 
their faces to the earth. 

And Joseph saw his brethren, and knew them, but acted like a stranger 

to them and spoke roughly to them and said, 
Whence come ye? They replied, From the 
land of Canaan to buy food. Joseph re- 
membered his dreams about them, and said, 
Ye are spies; to see the barrenness of the 
land ye are come. But his brethren said 
unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are 
thy servants come. We are all one man's 
sons; we are true men; thy servants are no 
spies. 

But Joseph still said they were spies. 
Then they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in 
the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, 
and one is not. They meant that Benjamin was at home and Joseph was 




JOSEPH S BRETHREN GOING INTO 
EGYPT. 



Joseph's brethren come to buy corn. 8i 

dead. Joseph did not let them know even then that he was the missing 
brother, but acted strange to them and said that they must prove that they 
were not spies. And he gave them a hard test. It was that one of their 
number was to go and get their youngest brother, while the rest staid in 
prison. And Joseph put them all into prison three days. At the end of 
the third day he said to them, This do and live ; for I fear God : If ye be 
true men, let one of you be bound in prison and the rest may go and carry 
corn to your needy families. But you must bring your youngest brother 
back with you. This they agreed to do. But they felt very sad, and said 
one to another, This distress has come to us because we were so cruel to 
Joseph and would not listen to him when he begged us not to put him in 
the pit nor sell him to the Ishmaelites. They little thought that it was 
their brother Joseph before whom they stood, and that he could under- 
stand them as they talked it all over. They spoke Hebrew, and supposed 
he, of course, was an Egyptian, as he had talked with them through an 
interpreter, who could speak both Hebrew and Egyptian. 

And Reuben said to them, Did I not tell you not to sin against the 
child, and you would not listen? See, now, what trouble is coming upon 
us for that dreadful sin. When Joseph overheard this, he turned himself 
and wept where they could not see him. Then he came back to them 
again, and took Simeon out from among them, and bound him before their 
eyes, for he .was the one to stay in prison while the rest went home and 
brought back Benjamin. 

Then Joseph commanded their sacks to be rilled with corn, and to put 
every man's money into his sack, and to give them provisions for their 
journey home. So when they had loaded their asses with the corn, they 
started on their way back to Canaan. After they had travelled along to 
an inn, one of them opened his sack to give some food to his ass, when he 
spied his money, for it was in his sack's mouth. And he said to his breth- 
ren, My money is given back to me; it is in my sack; and they were 
afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us? 

And they journeyed on till they came again to their father Jacob, and 
told him all that had happened to them since they left home. They said, 
The man who is the lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for 
spies of the country. And we said to him, We are true men; we are no 
spies; we are twelve brethren, sons of one father; one is not, and the 
youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, 
the lord of the country, said to us, Hereby shall I know that you are true 
men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for your 
needy households, and go, and bring back your youngest brother to me. 
Then shall I know that you are no spies, but that you are true men. So 
will I deliver up your brother to you again, and you may buy corn in the 
land. 



82 JACOB SENDS BENJAMIN, AND JOSEPH ENTERTAINS HIS BRETHREN. 

And when they emptied their sacks they were surprised to find every 
man's bundle of money in his sack with the corn. And Jacob thought all 
things were against him. He said, You have bereaved me of my children; 
Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and now you will take Benjamin away. 
Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons if I bring not 
Benjamin back to thee; give him into my care and I will bring him to 
thee again. But Jacob said, My son shall not go down with you ; for his 
brother is dead, and he is life alone; and if anything should happen to 
him I should go down to the grave in great sorrow. 



Jacob Sends Benjamin, and Joseph Enter- 
tains His Brethren. 




Genesis xliii. 1707 B. C. 

FTER this the famine was very great in the 
land of Canaan. And when they had eaten 
up the corn which they had brought out of 
Egypt, Jacob said to his sons Go again, buy 
us a little food. And Judah answered him, 
saying, The man said very solemnly to us, 
You shall not see my face, except your 
brother be with you. If you will send our 
brother with us, we will go down and buy 
food, but if not we will not go down. And 
Israel, which was Jacob's other name, asked them why they had told the 
man that they had another brother. And they replied, the man asked us 
particularly about our family, and if our father was yet alive, and if we 
had another brother. And we told him. We could not certainly know 
that he would say, Bring your brother down. 

Then Judah said to Israel their father, Send the lad with me and we 
will go ; that we may live, and not die, both we and thou, and also our 
little ones. I will take the charge of him, and if I bring him not back to 
thee, then let me bear the blame forever. For if we had not lingered so 
long we might have been back from Egypt again by this time. 

And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so now, do this ; take 
of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry the man down a 
present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and al- 
monds; and take double money in your sacks, to make up for the man 
sent back. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take also your brothers, arise, and 
go again to the man, and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, 
that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin. If I be be- 
reaved of my children, I am bereaved. 



JACOB SENDS BENJAMIN, AND JOSEPH ENTERTAINS HIS BRETHREN. 83 

And the man took the present, and double money, and Benjamin, and 
rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. And when 
Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, who 
took care of it, Bring these men home and make ready for them to dine 
with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men 
home to Joseph's house. But the men were very much afraid, and said to 
each other, it is because of the money that was returned in our sacks that 
we are brought in, that he may find fault with us and make us his slaves, 
and take our asses. 

And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and talked with 
him at the door of the house, and said, O Sir, we came indeed down at the 
first time to buy food; and when we came to the inn on our way home, 
we found every man's money in the mouth of his sack J and we have 
brought it back again. And other money have we brought to buy food ; 
we cannot tell who put our money into our sacks. And the steward said, 
Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, hath 
given you treasure in your sacks. And he brought out Simeon unto them. 
And the steward brought them inside of Joseph's house, and gave them 
water and they washed their feet, and he gave them food for their asses. 
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon : for they 
heard that they should dine with him. 

And when Joseph came at noon they brought him the present, and 
bowed themselves to the earth. And he asked if they were well, and 
said. Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? 
And they answered, Thy servant, our father, is in good health, he is yet 
alive. And they bowed down their heads very low to him again. And 
Joseph lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, and said, Is this 
your younger brother of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be 
gracious unto thee, my son. Then Joseph's feelings overcame him, and 
he hurried to get somewhere out of his brethren's sight to weep. So he 
went to his own room for a few minutes and wept there. Then he 
washed his face, and went out again and kept back the tears. He then 
told his servants to set on the dinner. And they set on for Joseph at one 
table and for his brethren by themselves at another table; because the 
Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, and Joseph passed for an 
Egyptian. And when Joseph's brethren came to take their places at the 
table they found they were seated according to their ages, the oldest first, 
and so on, and they wondered very much how any one could know their 
ages. And Joseph sent food to them from his own table, but Benjamin's 
portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they ate and drank 
and had a merry feast with him. 



84 



THE SEARCH FOR JOSEPH'S CUP, AND JUDAH'S PLEA. 



The Search for Joseph's Cup, ahd Judah's 

Plea. 




drank. And he did so. 
should do any such thing. 



Genesis xliv. 1707 B. C. 

ND Joseph commanded his steward to fill the 
men's sacks with food as much as they could 
carry, and to put every man's money in his 
sack's mouth. And he said, Put my cup, 
the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the 
youngest, and his corn money. And the stew- 
ard did so. As soon as it was light the men 
were sent away, they and their asses. And 
when they had gone not very far, Joseph told 
his steward to follow after the men and ask 
them why they had rewarded evil for good 
and taken his lord's silver cup from which he 
And the men said to him, God forbid that we 
See, the money, which we found in our sacks' 
mouths, we brought again to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then 
should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? If thou findest the 
cup with any one of us let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves. 
And the steward said, Now let it be as you say, he with whom it is 
found shall be my servant ; and ye shall be blameless. Then they quickly 
took down their sacks to the ground, and each man opened his sack. And 
he searched, and began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest ; and the 
cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes and each 
man loaded his ass, and they returned to the city. And Judah and his 
brethren came to Joseph's house ; for he was 
yet there; and they fell before him on the 
ground. And Joseph said harshly, What is 
this deed which ye have done? Did ye not 
know that I should find you out? Then Judah 
said, What shall we say unto my lord? What 
shall we speak, or how shall we clear our- 
selves? God hath found out our sins; behold 
we are thy servants, both we and he with 
whom the cup is found. And Joseph said, 
God forbid that I should do so; the man h? 
whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go 
in peace to your father. 

Then Judah came near to Joseph, and said, O, my lord, let me speak a 




THE CUP IN BENJAMIN'S SACK. 




THE CUP FOUND IN BENJAMIN S SACK. 



86 



JOSEPH MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN. 



word to thee, and be not angry with me: for thou art as great as Pharaoh. 
When we first came down to Egypt thou didst say unto us, Have ye a 
father, or a brother? And we said, We have a father, an old man, and a 
child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead and his mother, 
and his father loveth him. And thou didst say to us, Bring your young- 
est brother down to me that I may see him. And we said, The lad can 
not leave his father, else his father would die. And thou didst say, If you 
do not bring down your youngest brother you shall not see me any more. 
And when we came back to our father and told thy words, and he said 
to us again, Go and buy us a little food, we told him we can not go down; 
if our youngest brother is not with us we cannot go. And our father said 
to us, You know that one of my sons went out from me and I said, surely 
he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since. And if you take this 
one from me, also, and harm come to him, I shall sorrow till my death. 
Now, therefore, said Judah, if I come to my father without the lad, seeing 
I said I would surely return him to our father safely, he will die. And I 
shall be the means of our father's death. For I said to my father, If I 
bring not the lad unto thee, then I shall bear the blame forever. Now, 
therefore, I pray thee, let me be thy slave and let the lad go back to 
Canaan with the rest. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is 
not with me? lest I see the evil which might come on my father. 



Joseph Makes Himself Khowh to his Breth- 
ren and Sehds for His Father. 




me: for 
saving y 



God 
our 1 



Genesis xlv. 1707 B. C. 

\ HEN Joseph could not keep from letting them know 
who he was any longer, and he cried out, Cause every 
man to go out from me. And there was no one left 
with him but his brethren, while he made himself 
known to them. And he wept aloud and the Egyp- 
tians and the house of Pharaoh heard him. And Jo- 
seph said to his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father 
yet live ? And his brethren were so much frightened 
that they could not answer him. And Joseph said to 
his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And 
they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your 
brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, 
be not grieved nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold 
has brought good out of the evil, and let me be the means of 
ives. For these two years has there been famine in the land ; 




JOSEPH MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN. 87 

and there are yet to be five years more of the famine. And God has sent me 
before you, to save your lives by a great deliverance. He has made me 

lord of Pharaoh's house and a ruler of the 
whole land of Egypt. Now, make haste 
and go up to my father, and say to him, 
Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made 
me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, 
and do not delay. And thou shalt live in 
the land of Goshen near me, and thy chil- 
dren, and thy children's children, and thy 
flocks and thy herds, and all that thou hast. 
And I will take care of thee through all the 
joseph making himself known. resto f the famine, so that thy household 
and all that thou hast shall not come to poverty. And Joseph said, also, 
Tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen. 
And hurry and bring him down. And he clasped his brother Benjamin 
in his arms, and they wept on each other's neck. He also kissed all the 
rest of his brethren, and wept upon them ; and afterward they talked with 
him. 

And the news spread all through Pharaoh's house, and Pharaoh was 
very much pleased about it, as well as his servants. And Pharaoh told 
Joseph to have his brethren load their beasts, and go back to the land of 
Canaan, and bring their father and their families, and all that they owned, 
down to him, and he would give them the good of the land of Egypt, and 
they should have the best of the food to live on. And Pharaoh told them 
to take wagons from Egypt for the little ones, their wives and their 
father, to ride in, and Joseph saw that they had wagons and provisions 
and changes of clothes; and to Benjamin he gave an extra portion of three 
hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. To his father he 
sent twenty asses, loaded with corn and bread and meat and good things 
from Egypt. Then Joseph sent his brethren home, and said, See that ye 
have no falling out with each other by the way. 

So they went out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob 
their father, and told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor 
over all Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he could not believe them. 
And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them. 
And when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the 
heart of Jacob their father grew stronger. And he said, It is enough; 
Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die. 



88 



GOD GIVES ISRAEL A VISION ON HIS WAY DOWN TO EGYPT. 



God Giyes Israel a Yisioh oh His Way Down 
to Egypt. Joseph Meets His Father. 




Genesis xlvi. ijo6 B. C. 

ND Israel took his journey with all that he had towards 
Egypt, and stopped at Beersheba to worship and offer 
sacrifices to God. And God spoke to Israel in a vision 
of the night and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he answered, 
Here am I. And God said, I am God, the God of thy 
father; fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there 
make of thee a great nation. And God also told him he should certainly 
see Joseph, and sometime his descendants should come back to the land of 
Canaan. Then Jocob left Beersheba; and the sons of Israel took their 
father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh 
had sent for them. They took their cattle, and all that they owned, and 
traveled to Egypt. All Jacob's children and grandchildren that journeyed 
with him numbered sixty-six, and when they 
had reached Egypt, Joseph and his two sons 
with Jacob himself made seventy people in his 
family, now all together in the land of Egypt. 
And Jacob sent Judah on before to tell 
Joseph that they were coming, and to lead the 
way for them. So Joseph made ready his 
chariot and went to meet his father Israel. 
And when he met him he put his arms about 
his neck and wept a good while. And Israel 
said to Joseph, Now let me die, since I have 
seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. He felt that now he had the 
deepest wish of his heart, and he was willing to die. 

And Joseph said to his brethren and the whole company, I will go and 
tell Pharaoh that you have come, and I will tell him that you are shep- 
herds and that your business has been to feed cattle, and that you have 
brought your flocks and herds and all that you have. And Joseph said 
also, When Pharaoh shall call you and shall ask you what is your trade, 
you must tell him that you have been used to taking care of cattle all your 
lives. Joseph wanted to have them live in the part of the land called 
Goshen, because it would be better for them. 




JACOB JOURNEYING TO EGYPT. 



JOSEPH BRINGS HIS FATHER TO PHARAOH. 



s 9 



Joseph Brihgs His Father to Pharaoh, 
seph Sells Corh to the Egyptiahs. 



Jo- 




Genesis xlvii. 1706 B. C. 

ND Joseph came and told Pharaoh that his 
father and brethren and their flocks and herds 
had come, and were in the land of Goshen. 
And Joseph took five of his brethren and 
brought them to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said 
to them, What is your occupation? That is, 
What kind of work have you been used to do- 
ing? And they said to Pharaoh, Thy servants 
are shepherds, both we and, also, our fathers, 
and they told him that they had come to stay 
a while in the land, because the famine was so great .in Canaan, and they 
begged him that they might live in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh 
spoke to Joseph, and said that his father and brethren might live in the 
best of the land in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh told Joseph that if 
he knew of any active, smart men among his brethren, he might make 
them rulers of Pharaoh's cattle. Then Joseph brought in Jacob, his 
father, to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to 
Jacob, How old art thou ? And Jacob said to Pharaoh, The days of the 
years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and 
thirty years. He meant that he had lived 
as long as that. And Jacob blessed Phar- 
aoh again, and went out from before him. 
So Joseph gave his father and brethren and 
their families a home in Goshen, in the best 
part of the land of Egypt. And he gave 
them bread and provisions and all that they 
needed. 

And there was still a great famine in all 
the land. No crops grew and the people 
had to buy the corn that Joseph had stored up during the years of plenty. 
After awhile the Egyptians had spent all their money and they came to 
Joseph and said, Give us bread, for why should we die before thee? For 
our money is gone. Then Joseph said, Give your cattle. And they 
brought their horses, cattle, flocks and asses, and Joseph fed them all that 
year. Then at the end of that year they came again, and said that their 
money was spent, their herds were gone, and now they had nothing left 
to buy bread with except their land and themselves. So Joseph took their 
land for Pharaoh and gave them provisions. And he moved the people 




JOSEPH PRESENTING JACOB TO PHARAOH 



90 THE END OF JACOB'S LIFE. JOSEPH'S DEATH. 

about to the different cities, so they could be fed. Only the land of the 
priests Joseph did not take, because Pharaoh had given them land by 
themselves. 

By and by the famine was ended, and Joseph gave the people seed to 
sow in the ground. And he said, The land is not yours. I have bought 
it from you for Pharaoh, but if you will give one-fifth of what grows to 
Pharaoh, the other four-fifths shall be yours. The people answered Jo- 
seph, Thou hast saved our lives; let us find grace in thy sight. We are 
willing to be Pharaoh's servants. So Joseph made it a law over the land 
that Pharaoh should have a fifth part of the harvest. 

And Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen. And 
they and their children grew to be a great many people, and had a good 
deal of property. And Jacob had lived there seventeen years, till he was 
one hundred and forty years old. And the time came near when he must 
die, and he called his son Joseph to him, and asked him to be kind to him 
at last when he died, and not to bury him in the land of Egypt, but in his 
own land of Canaan, where his fathers were buried. And Joseph prom- 
ised his father solemnly that he should be buried in Canaan. 



The End of Jacob's Life. Joseph's Death. 




Genesis xlviii-l. i68q-i6j5 B. C. 

FTER this Joseph was told that his father was 
sick, and he took his two sons, Manasseh and 
Ephraim, and went to see Jacob. Then some 
one said to Jacob, Thy son Joseph has come to 
visit thee. When Israel heard this he used all 
his strength and sat up on the bed. And Jacob 
said to Joseph, God Almighty promised me a 
long time ago when he gave me a vision, that he 
would make of my family a multitude of people, 
and would give the land of Canaan to them for an everlasting possession. 
And Jacob said that Joseph's two sons were to him like his own children 
and he wanted them numbered among his sons. And Israel looked at Jo- 
seph's sons, and wanted Joseph to bring them near so he could bless them. 
Arid Jacob put his arms around them and kissed fhem, and said to Joseph, 
I did not think that I should ever see you again, but now God has even let 
me see thy sons. And Israel placed his right hand on Ephraim's head 
and his left on Manasseh's, and spoke beautiful words of blessing to them 
and to Joseph, and gave thanks to God for his goodness. 

Then Israel said, I must die; but God shall be with you and bring you 



THE END OF JACOB'S LIFE. JOSEPH'S DEATH. 



9 1 



again to the land of your fathers. And Jacob called all his sons together 
and gave them each a parting blessing, and foretold what was going to 

happen to them. And then he charged 
them to remember his wish about burying 
him in the land of Canaan, in the cave 
which Abraham had bought for a burying- 
place. There they buried Abram and Sarah 
his wife; there they buried Isaac and Re- 
bekah his wife ; and there Jacob had buried 
his wife Leah. And when Jacob had fin- 
ished speaking with his sons, he drew his 
jacob blessing the sons of joseph. feet into the bed and died. 

Then Joseph bent down to his father and wept on his face, and kissed 
him. And Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his 
father. That was to cover his body with spices, to keep it from decaying 
and going back to dust. And the physicians embalmed him. And the 
Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. And Joseph said to Pharaoh 
that he had promised his father before he died that he would see that he 




,i *' 



JtM '' J 



1 . V. ■ ■ 4? 




JACOB BLESSING THE SONS OF JOSEPH. 




92 THE END OF JACOB'S LIFE. JOSEPH'S DEATH. 

was buried in the land of Canaan. And he asked Pharaoh if he might go 
and bury him, and then he said he would come back to him again. And 

Pharaoh said, Go and bury thy father as 
thou hast promised. 

And Joseph went up to bury his father ; 
and with him went up all the servants of 
Pharaoh, the ruler of his house, and all the 
great men of Egypt, and all the household 
of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's 
household went, also. And there went up, 
also, with Joseph both chariots and horse- 
jacob blessing his sonsT" men ; and it was a very great company. 

And they mourned for Jacob very greatly, as that the people of Canaan 
noticed it, and said, This is grevious mourning to the Egyptians. And 
Jacob's sons obeyed their father's dying wish, and buried him in the cave 
which Abraham had bought in the land of Canaan. Then Joseph re- 
turned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him. 
When Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they began to be 
afraid that Joseph would turn against them for their sin against him, and 
punish them. And they sent a messenger to Joseph, saying, Thy father 
did command before he died, saying: So shall ye say to Joseph, Forgive, 
I pray thee, now, the sin of thy brethren: for they did unto thee evil. 
And Joseph wept when they spoke to him, for he saw they were afraid 
of him. And his brethren, also, went and fell down before his face, and 
said, We will be thy servants. And Joseph said to them, Fear not: for 
am I in the place of God ? And he told them that although they had 
meant evil against him, God had turned it into good, in giving Joseph the 
power to save them from starving. Then he said, Now, therefore, fear 
ye not; I will take care of you and your little ones. And he comforted 
them, and spoke kindly to them. 

And Joseph and his father's family lived in Egypt a long time, and 
Joseph was old enough to see his great grandchildren before he died. 
But finally Joseph said to his brethren, I am going to die ; and God will 
surely visit you, and bring you out of this land into the land which He 
promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph made them 
promise very solemnly that they would carry up his bones with them 
whenever this time should come. 

So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they em- 
balmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. 




THE MEETING OF JACOB AND JOSEPH. 



94 JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. 

For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



WHAT a wonderful story is this of Joseph, in illustrating the Divine 
Providence which is ever bringing good out of evil. 

Joseph was the son of great love. He was given in answer to 
earnest prayer. His father loved him more than all the other eleven sons, 
and with good reason, although he was not always wise in showing that 
love. Joseph's coat must have been a snare to him, for we read that he 
was a tell tale. He told his father about the wrong things his brothers did. 
We must never tell of others until we have used every possible persuasion 
with them. If we would indeed be good to others we must be good our- 
selves. 

Just about the time Joseph had his beautiful coat, he had his two 
dreams. He was a little proud about the coat, so he had proud dreams. 

Joseph was brave and obedient. When his father sent him to Dothan 
to his brethren, he went at once. He lost his way, but he was determined 
not to return without doing what his father wished him to do. He was 
beautiful in person and truthful in mind. He was born to have rule among 
men. Nine persons conspired to murder him, but the angels of God were 
about him to preserve him. While Joseph was in the pit they thought to 
harm him. But God comforted him. The christian at his worst is better 
than a sinner at his best. 

Joseph stands the trial, the greatest often to which the strongest men 
are subject, in Potiphar's house. He shows us by faithfulness there, and 
in prison, how one becomes fitted for higher service and rewards. We 
must do our duty on the lower level if we wish to be promoted to a 
higher. We must despise no drudgery if we would reach excellence. 
The lamp that fills a little circle is set on a pedestal, to throw its beams 
further afield. The reward for work is more work. "Thou hast been 
faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things." 

In the meeting of Joseph with his brethren there is not in all literature 
outside of the life of Christ another scene comparable for tenderness. 
How tender his love for his father. The first question asked is, Doth my 
father yet live? And then comforting his conscience-smitten brethren by 
telling them his sale into Egypt was God's sending, he hurries them back 
to the home of Jacob, saying, Tell my father of all my glory in Egypt 
and of all that ye have seen. 

Joseph was a type of Christ. Joseph, like Jesus, was his father's well 
beloved son. He was the best of brothers, yet hated and rejected of his 
own. He was sold for envy to the Gentiles for two-thirds the price for 
which Jesus was sold. He went stripped and naked into Egypt as Christ 
went stripped and naked to His cross. He endured great temptation, yet 
without sin. He was brought into a low estate and falsely condemned. 
He was the greatest of earthly forgivers — the forgiver of those who would 
have been his murderers. He was the Son and hope of Israel. 



THE EGYPTIAN BONDAGE. THE FINDING OF MOSES. 



95 



The Egyptian Bondage. 




Exodus i. 1706-1635 B. C. 

ND now the family of Jacob grew very fast in numbers 
after Joseph was dead. At this time they were called 
the children of Israel. And a new king ruled over 
Egypt. His name was Pharaoh, like the one who had 
been so kind to Joseph, for this name was the title of 
the kings of that country. But this Pharaoh was a 
wicked king, and had never known Joseph. And 

when he saw how many there were of the children of Israel, he was 

afraid of them. He feared that in time of war the Israelites would join 

his enemies, and afterward would rise up and go out of his land ; he did 

not wish to lose their help; he wanted them to stay and be his servants. 

So he made them work for him instead of themselves. He ordered them 

to spend their time in making bricks for the cities he was going to build, 

and doing all kinds of work in the fields. 

The children of Israel were now treated as 

slaves. Taskmasters were set over them, and 

their lives were made bitter by slavery and 

hardship. But the more cruelly they were 

treated, the greater in number they became, 

for God had told Jacob when he was going 

down into Egypt that he would make his 

family a great nation there; and this was the 

way He was doing it. 




THE ISRAELITES AT WORK. 



The Finding of Moses. 



Exodus ii. 15 71 -1 j j 1 B. C. 

OW when Pharaoh saw that the Israelites con- 
tinued to multiply, he was greatly vexed. So 
he told the women who took care of the little 
children of the Israelites to kill all the boys as 
soon as they were born. But the women 
would not obey the king. Then the king gave 
all his people permission to take the little boys 
that belonged to the Israelites, and throw them 
into the river to drown them ; but the little 
girls he said they should save alive. 
Just at this time a little boy was born, and his mother saw that he was 




THE FINDING OF MOSES. 



97 



such a beautiful child that she hid him three months. His father's name 
was Amram and his mother's was Jochebed. But she found that she 
could not hide him any longer. So she wove some river reeds, called 
papyrus, into a little ark, or boat, and plastered the inside with pitch to 
keep it dry. In this strange cradle she laid her baby, and then put it care- 
fully among the flowering rushes which grew close to the banks in the 
water of the river Nile. But the little boy's sister watched at a distance, 
to see what would happen to him. 

Soon after the daughter of Pharaoh came down to the river to bathe, 
and her maidens walked by the river's side. When she saw the ark 
among the bushes she sent one of her maids to bring it to her. As soon 
as the ark was opened the baby began to weep. And she was sorry for 
him and said, This is one of the Hebrew's children. The children of Is- 
rael were also called Hebrews. Then his sister, who had been watchino-, 
came near, and said to Pharaoh's daughter, ShaH I go and call one of the 
Hebrew women to nurse the child for thee? Pharaoh's daughter said, Go. 
And the maid went and called her mother. When she came, Pharaoh's 
daughter said to. her, Take this child away an"d nurse it for me, and I will 
give thee thy wages. So his own mother took the child to her home and 
nursed him. 

And the child grew, and she brought 
him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became 
her son. She called his name Moses, be- 
cause she said, I drew him out of the water. 
The word Moses means "drawn out." 
Moses was now trained and taught accord- 
ing to the high position to which the king's 
daughter had raised him. He became both 
learned and powerful. Yet when he was 
moses slating the egtptian. grown to be a man, he knew he was not the 

son of Pharaoh's daughter, but was one of the children of Israel. But al- 
though he was living in splendor and plenty, 
he was grieved at the bondage of his own 
countrymen, the Hebrews, and angry when he 
saw the burdens the Egyptians laid upon them. 
One day, when he had gone to the place 
where the Israelites worked for the Egyptians, 
he saw one of the taskmasters striking a He- 
brew. He took the Hebrew's part, and in 
the fight the Egyptian was slain, and Moses 
hid the body in the sand. On going out the 
next day he saw two of his own people quarreling together. And he 





MOSES TENDING THE SHEEP. 



95 THE BURNING BUSH. 

spoke to the one who did the wrong, and asked him why he struck the 
other. He answered and said, Who made thee a ruler over us? Wilt 
thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses was 
afraid, for he saw that his deed was known. When Pharaoh heard of 
this thing, he tried to kill Moses; but Moses fled from Egypt, and came 
into the land of Midian, where he became a shepherd, keeping the flocks 
o*f a priest named Jethro ; and Jcthro gave Zipporah, his daughter, to 
Moses for a wife. 



The Burhing Bush. 




Exodus iil-h\ 1 491 B. C. 

OW for forty years Moses lived the quiet and 
lonely life of a shepherd, in the rugged wilder- 
ness of Sinai. But the time was not thrown 
away. He learned patience and gained knowl- 
edge of himself in the long hours of silence. 
And besides this, as he led his sheep through 
narrow passes and winding valleys, he learned 
the byways and landmarks of the desert 
^<\£« through which he was one day to lead a great 
multitude of people. 
While Moses lived in the land of Midian, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, 
died. But the Egyptians were still very cruel to the children of Israel. 
Another king took his place, but he was no better than the last king to. the 
children of Israel. They sighed and groaned by reason of the bondage, 
and their cry came up unto God. And God remembered his covenant 
with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and looked down with pity 
upon them. 

One day Moses had led his flocks in search of fresh pastures to a re- 
tired part of the wilderness, near the mountain of Horeb, and there the 
Lord spoke to him ; for he saw a bush not far from him all sparkling 
with light, as though it were on fire. But, although it appeared to be in 
flames, the leaves did not fall off, nor was the bush burned. And Moses 
said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not 
burnt, and when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to 
him out of the bush and said, Moses, Moses. He answered, Here am I. 
Then God told him not to come near, but to take his shoes from off his 
teet, because the place where he stood was holy ground. God said to him, 
also, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, 
and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look 



THE BURNING BUSH. 



99 



upon God. Then God 
spoke words of comfort to 
Moses, and told him that 
He had seen the afflictions 
of his people, and had heard 
their cry for help, and that 
He was now going to de- 
liver them out of Egypt, 
and bring them into a pleas- 
ant land, where there 
would be plenty of milk 
and honey. 

And the Lord said that 
He would send Moses to 
Pharaoh, to tell him to let 
the children of Israel go, 
and that Moses should 
bring them out of Egypt into 
Canaan to the mountain 
where He was talking with 
him. But Moses was afraid 
to go, and said, Who am I, 
that I should go unto Phar- 
aoh and bring- the children 




MOSES AND THE BURNING BUSH. 




PTOSES ROD TURNED INTO A SERPENT. 



IOO 



THE BURNING BUSH. 




MOSES AND THE BURNING BUSH. 

of Israel out of Egypt? But God promised to be with him, and com- 
manded him to go and tell the children of Israel that God would deliver 
them; and tell Pharaoh that if he would not let the people go, God would 
punish him and send plague upon the land. 

But Moses was still doubtful of his own powers, and unwilling to go ; 
for he was afraid that the children of Israel would not listen to him, nor 
believe that the Lord had spoken to him at all. Then God commanded 

him to throw the rod he held in his hand upon 
the ground. He obeyed, and immediately the 
rod became a serpent; and Moses fled from 
before it. But God told him to take it by the 
taih He did so, and it was changed back 
again into a rod in his hand. 

Then to give another proof of His power, 
God told Moses to put his hand into his bosom. 
He obeyed, and when he took it out it was 
white as snow ; for it was covered with a terri- 
Then the Lord bade him put his hand back 
Moses drew it out it was cured. Then the 
Lord said if the children of Israel would not believe these two signs, that 
Moses should take of the water of the river, and pour it out upon the dry 
land ; and the water would become blood upon the dry land. 




MOSES KOD CHANGED INTO A SERPENT 

ble disease called leprosy, 
into his bosom ; and when 



THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. IOI 

Finally Moses said, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, and can not speak 
well before the people ; but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 
And the Lord said to him, Who hath made man's mouth? Now, there- 
forego, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 
Still Moses was unwilling, and the Lord was angry with him. 

And the Lord said, Is not Aaron, the Levite, thy brother? I know 
that he can speak well. He shall be thy spokesman to the people. The 
Lord told Moses to take his rod in his hand, and with it do the wonderful" 
things of which he had spoken. 

When the Lord had done talking with him, Moses went to Jethro's 
house again, and asked permission to go back to Egypt, that he might see 
his brethren, the children of Israel, and Jethro permitted him to go. He 
shortly took leave of Jethro, and with his family set out on his journey to 
Egypt. He had not gone far when he met his brother Aaron, whom the 
Lord had sent to meet him. And Moses told Aaron all the signs and 
wonders which God had given him to do. Then Moses and Aaron went 
together to the elders of the children of Israel. When the people saw the 
signs which God had given them to do, they believed that God had sent 
them, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. 



The Plagues of Egypt. 



Exodus v-xii. 1491 B. C. 

S soon as Moses and Aaron arrived in Egypt, 
they called together the elders or chief men of 
the children of Israel, and told them God's 
message, and showed them the miracles that 
God had given Moses the power to do. When 
the elders and the people saw these they were 
glad, and believed that God had sent Moses 
and Aaron to take them out of Egypt. 

After they had talked with the elders, 
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and said, 
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold 
a feast unto the Lord in the wilderness. But Pharaoh answered, Who is 
the Lord, that I should obey His voice? I know not the Lord, neither 
will I let Israel go. And Moses and Aaron begged Pharaoh to let the 
people go, lest, if they should not, God might punish them for their dis- 
obedience. But Pharaoh was very angry when they said this, and asked 
why they kept the people from their work by telling them they were to 
go out of Egypt. 




102 



THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 



Now the usual work of the Israelites was to dig clay out of the ground 
and make bricks with it. These bricks were not burned in the fire as ours 
are, to harden them ; they were only baked in the sun. But to make them 
tougher and stronger, the clay they were made of was mixed with pieces 
of straw. This straw the taskmasters used to provide for them to put in 
the bricks, but now Pharaoh said that the people must find for themselves 
the straw they needed, and yet make as many bricks as before. So the 
Israelites had to work much harder than before, and were in great distress, 

and some of them went to Moses and Aaron, 
and said that they had done them harm and not 
good, for they had made Pharaoh hate them 
so that they were worse off than they were be- 
fore. 

Moses prayed to God for help, and the 

Lord answered, that Moses should see what he 

would do to Pharaoh, to make him let the 

children of Israel go. And the Lord told him 

to perform one of his wonders in the presence 

of Pharaoh, which he taught him to work. 

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and Aaron threw down his 

rod and it was changed into a serpent. Then Pharaoh called for his 

magicians, or wise men, and they came with rods in their hands, and when 




GROANING OF THE CHILDREN OF 
ISRAEL. 




MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH. 




THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. IO3 

they had thrown them down, their rods became serpents, because God let 
them become so. Then Aaron's rod swallowed up all the other rods; but 
Pharaoh would not let the children of Israel go. 

Early the next day, when Pharaoh went down to the river Nile, God 
told Moses to go out and meet Pharaoh, and to turn the waters of this 
beautiful river into blood ; and not only the water of the river, but every 
pond and stream, and even the water that was in the vessels in the houses 

of the Egyptians became blood, also, and had a 
horrid smell, so that nobody could drink it, and 
all the fishes died. 

And Pharaoh called again for his magicians, 
and the Lord permitted them to turn water into 
blood. And Pharaoh went to his house, and 
would not let the people go. Then the Egyp- 
tians dug wells about the river to find water 
they could drink. And for seven days the 
plague op blood. blood stayed in the river. 

And the Lord commanded Moses to tell Pharaoh that if he would not 
let the people go, he would send frogs over all the land. But Pharaoh 
would not let them go. Then God said that Aaron should hold out his 
rod over the waters of the river, and there came up such numbers of froo-s 
that they covered the land, and crawled over the tables and into the beds, 
and even into the ovens of the Egyptians, and into their kneading- troughs 
in which they made their bread. And they went into Pharaoh's house, 
and up into his bed-chamber, and on his bed. And Pharaoh's magicians, 
also, brought up frogs, for God allowed them once more to do as Aaron 
had done. 

And now Pharaoh and the Egyptians were glad to entreat Moses to 
ask his God to take the frogs away, ai?d Pharaoh promised to let the Is- 
raelites go to sacrifice in the wilderness. God listened to their prayers, 
and immediately all the frogs died. But when Pharaoh saw that all the 
frogs were dead, he would not let the children of Israel go. 

Then God commanded Aaron to strike the dust on the ground with 
his rod ; and when Aaron had done so, all the dust in the land was turned 
into lice; and the lice covered the people and the animals. The magicians 
of Egypt tried to imitate this miracle to deceive the people, but they could 
not. Then the magicians became alarmed, and said that it was God who 
did these things for Moses and Aaron. But Pharaoh's heart was hard- 
ened, and he would not listen to them; neither would he let the people go. 
AYherejiore, God sent Moses to meet the king by the side of the river 
once more, and He bade him tell Pharaoh that the Lord commanded him 
to let the people go, and if he disobeyed, he should tell him that the Lord 



104 THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 

would send swarms of flies over all Egypt. And Moses did as the Lord 
had commanded, but Pharaoh refused to listen, and swarms of flies came 
and covered the land. Nothing was to be seen but flies. They crept on 
Pharaoh, and on his servants, and on the people. The houses of the 
Egyptians were full of swarms of flies, and the ground was covered with 
them. But in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel lived, there 
were none, for God did not send them there. 

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and told them to sacrifice 
to their God, but they must not go into the wilderness to do it; they must 
do it in Egypt. But Moses and Aaron answered that they could not sac- 
rifice to the Lord their God in a heathen land, but they must go three 
days 1 journey into the wilderness first. Pharaoh promised to let them go 
a short distance if the swarms of flies were removed. So Moses entreated 
the Lord, and he took away the flies out of the land ; but as soon as they 
were gone, Pharaoh still hardened his heart, and would not suffer the Is- 
raelites to depart. 

The Lord then sent Pharaoh another message, saying that he would 
send a dreadful disease, called a murrain, upon the cattle of Egypt, if the 
king would not let the children of Israel go. But he refused to obey. So 
the cattle, and the horses, the asses, the camels, and the sheep, and all the 
animals that were useful to the Egyptians, grew sick and died all over the 
land. But not one of the cattle belonging: to the Israelites died. When 
Pharaoh saw this his heart grew more wicked, and he would not let the 
people go. 

Then, at the command of the Lord, Moses and Aaron took handfuls 
of ashes from a furnace, and, in the presence of Pharaoh, threw them up 
towards heaven, and they came down as dust upon the Egyptians, and 
upon the beasts that were left, and brought boils and painful sores upon 
them. The magicians also suffered so much pain from their boils that 

they were not able to stand, or go to Pharaoh 
when he sent for them. But in spite of all 
this, Pharaoh refused to obey the word of the 
Lord, and would not let the people go. 

Then the Lord said to Moses, Rise up early 
in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and 
say that on the morrow I will send a grievous 
hail-storm upon the land; and the Lord or- 
dered the Egyptians to bring into their barns 
all their cattle, for every man and beast that 
should be out in the storm would be killed. Some of the Egyptians 
would not listen, and let their cattle stay in the fields. Then Moses 
stretched out his hand towards heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, 




MOSES ENTREATING PHARAOH. 



THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 



*°5 



and there was fire mingled with the hail ; there had been none like it in all 
the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And all the men and animals 
that were out in the storm were killed, and the trees, and the grass, and 
the growing grain were broken down. Yet in the land of Goshen, where 
God's people lived, no hail fell. 

But Pharaoh still continued disobedient in spite of the dreadful judg- 
ments God had sent upon him; and the Lord threatened to send great 
swarms of locusts upon the land, if the king did not let the Israelites go. 
And the Egyptians, also, begged the king to let the people go, that no 
more punishments might be sent upon the land. Then Pharaoh offered 
to let the men of Israel go, but not the women and children, the flocks and 
the herds; and he drove Moses and Aaron from his presence. 




THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS. 



Then God commanded Moses to take his rod and hold it out. And the 
Lord made an east wind to blow on the land all that day and that night, 
and in the morning the Lord brought clouds of locusts. They went up 
over all the land of Egypt, and filled Pharaoh's house and the houses of 
all the Egyptians. At last, when they had destroyed all the fruits which 
the hail had left, every herb and leaf, and every green thing, Pharaoh 
confessed that he had sinned against. the Lord, and against Moses; and 
Moses and Aaron prayed, and God sent a strong west wind which blew 
away all the locusts, and cast them into the Red Sea, where they were 



io6 



THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 



drowned. But when Pharaoh saw that the locusts were taken away, he 
refused again to let the people go. 

Then the Lord sent a new and a very aw- 
ful plague upon the land of Egypt; a thick 
darkness, that lasted for three days. There 
was no light from the sun nor the moon. The 
Egyptians saw not one another, nor did they 
move from the places they were in for three 
days. But the Israelites had light in their 
dwellings. Then Pharaoh told Moses and 
Aaron that the Israelites might go and serve 
the Lord, but they must leave their flocks and 
herds behind them. But when the king heard this, he would not let the 
people go; and he told Moses that if he entered into his presence again he 
should be put to death. And Moses said that he would see his face no 

more. 




MOSES ANT) THICK DARKNESS. 




Yet 



plag 
brim 



more 

God 

the 

and 



THE DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN. 



one 

did 
upon 
Egypt i an s, 
afterwards Pharaoh 
let them go. But 
this plague was ten- 
fold more terrible 
than any that had 
gone before ; it was 
called the death of 
the firstborn. By 
command of the 
Lord, Moses direct- 
ed the head of 
every Israelitish 
household to choose 
a lamb of the first 
year, without blem- 
ish, on the tenth 
day of the month, 
and to keep it care- 
fully until the four- 
teenth day. Then 
just before twilight, 
it was to be slain. 



THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. 



IO7 



and the side and upper door-posts of each house were to be sprinkled with 
its blood by means of a bunch of a plant, called hyssop, which had been 
dipped in it. The same night the lamb in every household was to be 
roasted whole, not a single bone of it being broken, and eaten with bitter 
herbs and unleavened bread. All fragments were to be burned as soon as 
the supper was over, and the meal was to be taken at midnight in haste, 




THE DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN. 

every Israelite being shod and girded, and even with his staff in his hand, 
ready to start at a moment's notice. While this strange and solemn feast 
was going forward among the Israelites, the destroying angel of the Lord 
would pass through the land of Egvpt, and would smite the firstborn of 
every family, from Pharaoh on his throne, down to the meanest of his sub- 
jects; and even the firstborn of cattle were to die by the same mysterious 
stroke. But wherever, among the Israelitish dwellings, the blood of the 



IOS THE ISRAELITES GO OUT OF EGYPT. 

slaughtered lamb should be seen in the doorway, the angel of death would 
pass over the household, leaving it untouched and safe. 

And the Israelites listened to Moses, and did as he had told them. Ev- 
ery preparation was made. At midnight, while in each house in Goshen 
the appointed lamb was being hurriedly eaten, lo ! from all the houses of 
the Egyptians there arose a dreadful cry of sorrow and mourning; for the 
destroying angel had killed the firstborn in every house, from the eldest 
son of Pharaoh down to the eldest of the poorest of his subjects. Even 
the firstborn of their cattle died, and there was not a house where there 
was not one dead. 

The Israelites Go Out of Egypt. 






\^_.;^>'\.^ 



Exodus xii. 1491 B. C. 

ND now when this last terrible calamity, the 
death of the firstborn, had fallen upon the 
Egyptians, Pharaoh rose up in the night, and 
called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and cried 
out, Rise up, and go, all of you, ye children of 
Israel? take your wives, your children, your 
flocks and herds, and be gone; and bless me, 
also. The Egyptians were so anxious that the 
children of Israel should go, that they offered 
them jewels of silver and of gold, and raiment, also, to induce them to go 
quickly. And thus, in the darkness of the night, this immense multitude 
of six hundred thousand able men, with their wives and children, and cat- 
tle, set forth on their hurried journey out of the land into which they had 
been brought, only seventy in number, about four hundred years before. 

To avoid the least delay, they took up their dough before it was leav- 
ened, packing the troughs in which it was kneaded, among their clothes, 
and carrying them upon their shoulders. From this circumstance, the 
feast, which was ever after celebrated in memory of that farewell supper 
on the eve of their great deliverance, was called "the feast of unleavened 
bread." 

Though the children of Israel were thrust out of Egypt in such haste, 
they remembered the dying words of Joseph, and they carried out his 
bones with them to the land of Canaan, whither God had promised to 
bring them. They went through the wilderness towards the Red Sea, 
encamping now and then to rest. First they went to a place called Suc- 
coth, then they rested at Etham. God had ordered that they should go 
by this way, and avoid the country of the Philistines, who were strong, 
and might have attacked them and frightened them back into Egypt. 



THE ISRAELITES GO OUT OF EGYPT. 



IO9 



And the Lord went before them in a cloud, but at night it was the color 
of fire. It gave them light at night, so that they could journey both in 
the day and in the night, when the Lord commanded. 

When once the people were gone, and Pharaoh had recovered from 
the terror and remorse with which the tenth plague had filled him, he was 
sorry that he had let the Israelites escape. And he took his horsemen, 
and his chariots, and a great army to pursue and bring them back. And 
he came up to them while they were encamping by the Red Sea. The 
Israelites saw him coming, and they were sore afraid. They forgot all 
about God's presence among them, and began to blame Moses for bring- 
ing them away from Egypt. It would have been better, they said, to stay 
and serve the Egyptians, than to be slain in the wilderness. But Moses 




THE DESTRUCTION OF PHARAOH 1 S HOST. 



told them not to fear, but to wait and see the salvation of the Lord ; for 
they should see the Egyptians no more forever. 

The night was coming on, and while the Israelites rested, the pillar of 
cloud moved behind them; so as to be between them and their enemies. 
That side of it which was turned towards Pharaoh's army grew very dark, 
so that his soldiers could not come any nearer the children all night; while 
the side which was turned towards the Israelites glowed with light like 
fire, and gave them light in their camp. Then God, through Moses, com- 
manded the children of Israel to go forward ; and Moses lifted up his rod, 
and stretched out his hand towards the sea. And the Lord caused the sea 
to go back by a strong east wind all that night. In the morning there 
was a dry path through the midst of the sea; and the children of Israel 



I IO THE SONG OF MOSES. 

passed through, having a wall of waves on their right hand and on their 
left. 

When Pharaoh and his hosts beheld them by the light of day, most of 
the Israelites had passed through the Red Sea in safety. And Pharaoh 
and his army followed after them, for he thought that they "would be able 
to pass through the sea as the Israelites had done. Then the Lord looked 
on Pharaoh and his host out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud; and he 
troubled the Egyptians, and made their chariot wheels come off. Then 
they were afraid, and would gladly have turned back, for they were per- 
suaded that the Lord was fighting for the children of Israel. But it was 
too late to retreat, for by God's command, Moses stretched out his hand 
over the sea once more, and the waters rushed back upon Pharaoh and his 
glittering host, and drowned them. And the children of Israel saw the 
Egyptians lying dead upon the shore; not one of them remained alive. 



The Sohg of Moses. 




Exodus xv. B. C. 1491. 

HE children of Israel were now safe on the other 
side of the Red Sea, and they joined Moses in 
a song to the honor and praise of the Lord, 
saying : 

I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath tri- 
umphed gloriously: the horse and his rider 
hath He thrown into the sea. 

The Lord is my strengh and song, and He 
is become my salvation: He is my God, and I 
will prepare Him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him. 
The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is His name. 

Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen 
captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. 

The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: Thy right hand, 
O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. 

And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them 
that rose up against thee. Thou sendest forth thy wrath, which consumed 
them as stubble. 

And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, 
the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the 
heart of the sea. 

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil: 



THE SOXG OF MOSES. 



Ill 



my lust shall be satisfied upon them: I will draw my sword, my hand 
shall destroy them. 

Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as 
lead in the mighty waters. 

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, 
glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? 

Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. 

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed; 
thou hast girded them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. 



*&m 







MIRIAM REJOICES OVER THE DESTRUCTION OP THE EGYPTIANS. 

The people shall hear, and be afraid : sorrow shall take hold on the 
inhabitants of Palestine. 

Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed ; the mighty men of Moab, 
trembling, shall take hold upon them ; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall 
melt away. 



112 



THE ISRAELITES FED WITH MANNA. 



Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm 
shall they be as still as a stone, till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the 
people pass over, which thou hast purchased. 

Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine in- 
heritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell 
in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. 

The Lord shall reign forever and ever. 

For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horse- 
men into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon 
them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea. 




The Israelites Fed With Manha. 

Exodus xvi. 1491 B. C. 

ND Moses brought the people into the wilderness 
of Shur, and for three days they traveled without 
finding any water. At last they came to a place 
called Marah, where they found water, but it was 
too bitter to drink. In their disappointment they 
murmured against Moses, forgetting what he had 
done for them. And Moses prayed unto the 
Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree which he 

took and threw into the water, and the water became sweet, so that the 

people could drink it. 

Then they went forward until they came to Elim, where there were 

seventy palm trees and twelve wells of water. From Elim the Israelites 

journeyed to the wilderness called Sin; and here a great and pressing 

trouble came upon them— they wanted bread. Again they murmured at 

Moses, and wished they had died in Egypt. 

They forgot how God had taken care of them 

day after day ; and they regretted the life they 

had led in Egypt, when, in the midst of their 

servitude, they had plenty of bread and flesh 

to eat. God, however, forgave their folly, and 

told them that in the evening they should have 

flesh to eat, and in the morning as much bread 

as they wanted. 

And the Lord fulfilled His promise ; for in gathering quails. 

the evening, about the time the sun was going down, great numbers of 

quails came flying into the camp, so that the people could catch them. 

And in the morning the earth was covered with a small, white, round 

thine which looked like hoar-frost. The Israelites had never seen any. 




MOSES BRINGS WATER FROM THE ROCK. II3 

thing of the kind before, and they said one to another, Ma?i-hu? which 
means "What is it?" and from this inquiry of theirs the mysterious thing 
took its name, and was called Manna. Moses now explained to them that 
this was the bread sent by God, and that it would be regularly supplied so 
long as they stood in need of it. Each man was to collect a certain quan- 
tity every morning for his own use, and for that of each member of his- 
household, to last through the day, but no more. For the next day's sup- 
ply all were to trust in God. When the sun grew hot, the manna left on 
the ground melted away, but the next morning it was there again, and the 
Lord never forgot. 

Now, some of the Israelites disobeyed the instructions which they had 
received about the manna, and tried to provide for two days instead of one. 
But they found that they could not keep the manna beyond the day, for 
before the next morning it was spoiled and had worms in it. But on the 
sixth day they were commanded to do what at all other times was forbid- 
den, and to gather a double supply, for on the Sabbath, the seventh day, 
no manna fell. And Moses told Aaron to take a pot, and put into it as 
much manna as one man could eat in a day. And the Lord told Moses 
that this pot of manna must always be kept, so that the Israelites, who 
should live long afterwards, might see what kind of food the Lord had 
given the children of Israel, when He led them through the wilderness to 
the land of Canaan. 



Moses Brings Water From the Rock. 



Exodus xvii. 14QI B. C. 

ND the children of Israel journeyed on to a 
place called Rephidim, but found no water 
there. Not only the men and women, but the 
cattle were fainting for thirst. Then they 
found fault with Moses so much, and were so 
angry with him, that he was afraid they would 
stone him to death. 

Moses asked them why they found fault 
with him. They answered, that he had 
brought them out of Egypt to kill them, and their little children, and their 
cattle, with thirst. 

Now, by this time they had come near to the mountain called Horeb, 
where Moses had seen the fire burning in the bush. And Moses cried 
unto the Lord, and asked what he should do. Then God commanded him 
to take his rod in his hand and go on before the people, until he came to a 





JERUSALEM AT THE TIME OF OUR LORD. 



MOSES ENTERTAINS JETHRO. 115 

rock that was in Horeb, and to strike the rock with his rod. And Moses 
obeyed ; and when he had struck the rock, a stream of pure water poured 
out of the cold dry stone, and all the people and their cattle drank of the 
water, and were refreshed. 

Soon after this they were attacked by a people called Amalekites, and 
obliged for the first time to defend themselves by fighting. Moses, whose 
confidence in God never failed, was not afraid of any number of then 
army. He ordered Joshua to choose men from among the people, and to 
go out and fight with Amalek, and promised that on the morrow he would 
stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in his hand. Joshua did 
as commanded, and fought with the Amalekites, and Moses, with Aaron 
and Hur, went up to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his 
hands the Israelites conquered ; but whenever he let them down, the battle 
was in favor of the Amalekites. And Moses' hands were tired with hold- 
ing up the rod so long, and Aaron and Hur, placing a stone for him, on 
which he sat, held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on 
the other side, till the sun went down, and God gave the chidren of Israel 
the victory. In thanksgiving for His mercy, Moses built an altar to the 
Lord, which he called Jehovah-nissi, the meaning of which is, "The 
Lord is my banner." 



Moses Ehtertains Jethro. 



Exodus xviii. 14QI B. C. 

f^^^H^B^. ND when Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that 

^^WfS\Sl| God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and 

^©^^^1^3! ^ iat t ^ ie Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt, he took 

^^fjBSj^l Zipporah his daughter, who was Moses' wife, and her 

?bS|£|^j£S& two sons and brought them to Moses in the wilderness. 

And Moses went out to meet Jethro, and bowed down 

to him and kissed him, and Moses brought him into his tent. And Jethro 

was very glad and grateful for all the goodness which the Lord had done 

to Israel. And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you 

out of the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater 

than all gods. And Jethro, who was a priest, took a burnt offering and 

sacrifice for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel to eat bread 

with Moses and his father-in-law. And the next day Jethro saw how the 

people flocked about Moses all day from morning till night, to have him 

judge and settle their troubles. And Jethro asked Moses why he did this 

alone, and had no one to help him. And Moses said, Because the people 

come to me to inquire what is God's will. When they have a matter, I 

judge between one another, and make them know God's laws. And 



u6 



MOSES ENTERTAINS JETHRO. 



Jethro said to Moses, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt 
surely wear out; for this is too hard for thee; thou art not able to do it 
alone. Listen to me. Be thou between God and the people, to bring 
their causes unto God, and teach them the law, and show them the way. 
But appoint able men, such as fear God, men of truth, and who hate cov- 
etousness; and place such men over the people to be rulers of thousands, 




MEETING OP MOSES AND JETHRO. 

and hundreds, and fifties, and tens; and let them judge the people at all 
times; and every great matter shall they bring to thee, but every small 
matter let them judge; so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall help 
thee bear the burden. So Moses took the advice of Jethro, and chose 
rulers who helped him judge the people. And Moses let his father-in-law 
go back to his own home. 




THE LAW GIVEN FROM MOUNT SINAI. 



117 



The Law Giyeh from Mouht Sihai. 

Exodus xix. 1491 B. C. 
^ ^=c ND in the third month after the children of 
Israel went out of Egypt, they came near 
the mountain called Sinai, and encamped 
before it. And Moses went up on the 
mountain, and the Lord called to him there. 
He told him to say to the people, that they 
had seen what He did to the Egyptians, and 
how He bore them on eagles' wings, and 
brought them to Himself. Now, therefore, 
the Lord said, If ye will obey My voice, in- 
deed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me 





TIT. SINAI AND 3IT. IIOREB. 



n8 



THE LAW GIVEN FROM MOUNT SINAI. 



above all people; for all the earth is mine; and ye shall be unto Me a 
kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid be- 
fore them all the words of the Lord. And all the people answered to- 
gether, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses 
returned the words of the people unto the Lord. And the Lord said to 
Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear 
when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever. And the Lord said, also, 
to Moses, Go unto the people, and let them cleanse themselves to-day and 
to-morrow, and let them wash their clothes, and be ready against the third 
day; for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the 
people on Mount Sinai. And thou shalt set bounds for the people, saying, 
Take heed that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it; 
whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death; there shall 
not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; 
whether it be beast or man, it shall not live; when the trumpet soundeth 
long, they shall come up to the mount. 

And Moses went down 
from the mount to the peo- 
ple, and they did as the 
Lord had told Moses. And 
on the morning of the third 
day, there were thunders 
and lightnings, and a thick 
cloud upon the mount, and 
the voice of the trumpet 
was exceeding loud, so that 
all the people trembled. 
And Moses brought the 
people out of the camp to 
meet with God ; and they 
stood at the lower part of 
the mount. And Mount 
Sinai was all in a smoke, 
because the Lord came 
down upon it in fire: and 
the smoke rose as the 
smoke of a furnace, and the 
whole mount quaked great- 

And when the voice of 
the trumpet sounded long, and grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and 




GOD'S CHAKGE TO MOSES. 



THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I 19 

God answered by a voice. And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, 
on the top of the mount; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the 
mount ; and Moses went up. And the Lord told him to go down again 
and warn the people and the priests not to break through the bounds to 
gaze at the glory of the Lord, lest they be killed. 



The Teh Commakdmekts. 




Exodus xx. 1491 B. C. 

ND God spake these words, and said: I am 
the Lord thy God: Thou shalt have no other 
gods before me. 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 
image, or any likeness of anything that is in 
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, 
or that is in the water under the earth. Thou 
shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve 
them : for I, the Lord thy God am a jealous 
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon 
the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; 
and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my 
commandments. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the 
Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor 
and do all thy work ; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy 
God. In it thou shalt not do any work; thou, nor thy son, nor thy 
daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy 
stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven 
and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day ; 
wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. 

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long in the 
land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
Thou shalt not kill. 
Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
Thou shalt not steal. 

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy 
neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor 
his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's. 

And all the people heard the thunderings and the noise of the trumpet, 
and saw the lightnings, and the mountain smoking ; and they removed and 



120 



MOSES CALLED UP AGAIN INTO THE MOUNT. 



stood afar off. And they said to Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will 
hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we 
die. And Moses said to the people, Fear not: 
for God is come to prove you, and that His 
fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew 
near into the thick darkness where God was. 
And the Lord said to Moses, Thus shalt 
thou say unto the children of Israel, Ye have 
seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 
Ye shall not make gods of silver, neither shall 
ye make gods of gold. An altar of earth thou 
shalt make, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace 
offerings, thy sheep and thy oxen ; in all places where I put my name I 
will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 




WATCHING MOSES 
SINAI. 



Moses Called Up Again Into the Mount. 




Exodus xxi-xxv. 1491 B. C. 

ND God gave Moses a great many more laws for the 

daily conduct of the children of Israel,which they were 

to obey very carefully. He also told them they must 

keep these great feasts every year. The first was the 

feast of the Passover, in which they were to remember 

how the destroying angel passed over their first-born 

children and slew those of the Egyptians, and how 

they were thus freed from their slavery in Egypt. The second was the 

Feast of Harvest, and the third the Feast of Ingathering, at the end of the 

year. 

Then God said to Moses, Behold I send an angel before thee, to keep 
thee in thy way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for my name is in 
him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then 
I will be an enemy unto thine enemies. Thou shalt not bow down to 
their gods, nor serve them ; but thou shalt break down their images. And 
ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy 
water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. By little 
and little I will drive thy enemies out from before thee, »until thou be in- 
creased and inherit the land. Thou shalt make no covenant with them 
nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee 
sin against me. 



MOSES CALLED UP AGAIN INTO THE MOUNT. 



121 



And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord. And 

all the people answered with one voice, All the words which the Lord 

hath said will we 

do. And Moses 

wrote down all the 

words of the Lord, 

and rose up early in 

the morning, and 

made solemn sacri- 
fices as he read over 

to the people what 

he had written. 

And the people said 

again, that they 

would do all that 

the Lord had com- 
manded them. 

Then Aaron, 

Nadab and Abihu 

and seventy elders 

of Israel went up 

with Moses on 

Mount Sinai as the 

Lord had told them 

to do. And they 

saw the God of Is- 
rael : and there was 

under his feet what 

looked like a pared hoses rehearses the coislmandments. 

work of a sapphire stone, and the body of the sky in its clear blue. 

And the Lord said to Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be 
there ; and I will give thee tables of stone, and 
a law, and commandments which I have writ- 
ten; that thou mayest teach them. And 
Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua, and 
went up into the mount of God. And he said 
to the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we 
come again to you. Aaron and Hur are with 
you, and if any man have anything to ask me 
about, let him come to them. And Moses 
went up into the mount, and the glory of the 
Lord rested upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud 





MOSES WETTING IN THE BOOK OF THE 

COVENANT. 



122 



god's commands about the tabernacle. 



covered it six days; 
and the seventh day 
God called unto 
Moses out of the 
midst of the cloud. 
And the sight of 
the Lord was like 
devouring fire on 
the top of the 
mount, to the eyes 
And Moses went into the 
and he was in the mount forty days and forty nights. 










MOSES ON THE MOUNT. 

of the children of Israel. 



MOUNT SINAI. 



midst of the cloud; 



God's Commands About the Tabernacle. 




Exodus xxv-xxxii. 1491 B. C. 

ND the Lord said to Moses, Speak unto the chil- 
dren of Israel, that they bring me an offering, 
of every man that giveth it willingly with his 
heart, ye shall take my offering. And this is 
the offering which ye shall take of them : gold, 
and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and 
scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and 
rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and 
shittim-wood, oil for the light, spices for anoint- 
ing oil, and for sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set in the 
ephod, and in the breast-plate. And let them make me a sanctuary or 
church, that I may dwell among them. And the Lord gave Moses a pat- 
tern of this tabernacle and all its furniture. 

The first thing that God told Moses how to make was the ark, which 
was a chest, made of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold inside and out, and 
a crown of gold round about it; and into this Moses was to put the tables 
of stone when the Lord should give them to him. And the ark was to be 
covered with the mercy seat, made of pure gold, and two cherubims, or 
angels, of beaten gold placed one at each end of it. Then a table was to 
be made of wood, overlaid, also, with gold, with a golden crown around 
the border of it. Besides this a golden candlestick, with six branches, 
beautifully ornamented, was to be made. After this God told Moses ex- 
actly how to make the tabernacle, with its rich curtains and its boards 
overlaid with gold, how long and how wide they were to be, and how 
many of them, and all about the silver socket into which the boards were 



god's commands about the tabernacle. 123 

to go. There was to be, also, a sacred veil of blue and purple, and scarlet 
and linen, with cherubim upon it — to be hung between the holy place and 
the most holy place. The ark was to be placed inside of this veil, covered 
over with the mercy seat. Outside of the veil, in the holy place, were to 
be placed the table and the candlestick. Then there was to be a curtain 
for the door of the tent or tabernacle, beautifully embroidered. Then 
God told Moses to make an altar of wood and overlay everything about it 
with brass, upon which animals were to be sacrificed in their services when 
they worshipped God. This was to be placed outside of the tabernacle, in 
a large yard or court, around which was to be made a kind of fence of 
curtains. Then God told Moses that pure beaten olive oil must be brought, 
so as to keep the lamp always burning. 

And the Lord said to Moses, Take Aaron thy brother and his sons, 
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, and set them apart to be priests. 
And thou shalt make holy garments for thy brother for glory and for 
beauty. And the Lord told Moses to ask all those whom God had given 
a talent for such things, to help make Aaron's garments for him. These 
are the garments which the Lord told him to have made ; a breastplate, an 
ephod, a robe, an embroidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle, also holy gar- 
ments for Aaron's sons. They were to use gold, and blue, and purple, 
and scarlet, and fine linen in making them. The ephod, which was the 
outer garment and shorter than the rest, was to be made with all these 
materials with very fine work, and a girdle of the same kind was to be 
worn with it. Upon the shoulder pieces of this ephod Aaron was to wear 
two onyx stones on which were written the names of the twelve children 
of Israel, six on one and six on the other, so that Aaron should bear them 
before the Lord. Then upon the front this ephod was to be fastened with 
golden chains a beautiful square breastplate made of linen, gold, scarlet, 
blue, and purple, and set -with twelve precious stones in four rows. In the 
first row there should be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle ; in the second 
an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond ; in the third a ligure, an agate, and 
an amethyst; and in the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. These 
were to be set in gold upon the breastplate, and each stone shall be en- 
graved with one of the names of the twelve children of Israel. These 
stones were called the Urim and Thummim, and Aaron was to wear them 
over his heart that he might always remember the people of Israel when 
he went into the holy place before the Lord. Besides all these, Aaron was 
to wear underneath the ephod a long robe of blue, trimmed on the bottom 
with pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, and golden bells. And 
these bells would tinkle so the sound should be heard as Aaron went in 
and out of the holy place before the Lord. Under this robe Aaron was 
to wear a long linen coat. Upon his head he was to wear a mitre made 



124 



god's commands about the tabernacle. 




BEZALEEOAND HIS HELPERS. 



of linen and blue lace, with a plate of pure gold on the front of it, upon 
which were to be engraved these words, holiness to the lord, that he 
and the people might always remember that their worship of God should 
be holy. Moses was also told to make for Aaron's sons, coats and girdles, 
and bonnets or turbans, for glory and for beauty. And all these garments 
were to be put upon Aaron and his sons by 
Moses, and they were to be anointed and set 
apart for the priest's office. Sacrifices of ani- 
mals were, also, to be made, after the holy 
anointing oil had been poured on Aaron's head. 
These were to be burned upon the great brass 
altar, and seven days the services were to be 
held, when Aaron and his sons were set apart 
for priests of the people. After they should 
be made priests, they were to offer two lambs 
every day on this altar, one in the morning and one in the evening. And 
the Lord said He would meet with the children of Israel there at the door 
of the tabernacle, where they offered their sacrifices. And He would 

dwell among the children 
of Israel, and be their God; 
and they should know that 
He was the Lord their God, 
who brought them out of 
the land of Egypt. 

Then the Lord told 
Moses to make another al- 
tar, smaller than the first, of 
wood overlaid with fine 
gold. This was to be called 
the altar of incense, and 
upon this only sweet incense 
should be burned every 
morning and evening. This 
altar was to be placed just 
outside the veil separating 
the most holy from the 
holy place. Once a year 
Aaron was to make an 
atonement of blood upon 
the horns of this altar, for 
the sins of the people. 
Then the Lord told Moses 




MOSES RECEIVES THE FIRST TABLES. 



THE PEOPLE WORSHIP THE GOLDEN CALF. AND ARE PUNISHED. 125 

that when he numbered the people, every one who was twenty years old, 
or more, should give half a shekel for a ransom for his soul, that there 
should be no plague among them. And the money thus gathered should 
be used for the tabernacle. 

Then the Lord told Moses to make a brass laver or large basin for 
water, where Aaron and his sons should wash their hands and feet; and 
this was to be placed between the tabernacle and the great brass altar in 
the outside court. And the Lord told Moses how he was to make the 
holy oil for anointing the tabernacle, the ark, the table, the candlestick, 
the altar of incense, the large altar of burnt offering and laver, as well as 
Aaron and his sons, and the Lord forbade its being used for any other 
purpose, except His service. Moses was also to mix a sweet perfume to 
be used near the ark in the tabernacle, where the Lord was to meet his 
people, and this must not be made for any other use under pain of death. 

Then God told Moses that He had called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and 
given them skill in planning fine work in gold and silver and brass, and in 
cutting of stone, and in carving of timber, and that there were others, also, 
whom He had enabled to help them in making the tabernacle and all that 
should go in it, also the clothes for the priests, and the holy oil and sweet 
incense for the holy place. Then the Lord charged Moses to speak to the 
children of Israel, that they always keep holy His Sabbaths. He said, Six 
days may work be done; but in the seventh is the day of rest, holy to the 
Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be 
put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath 
throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign be- 
tween me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord 
made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was re- 
freshed. 

After the Lord had said all these things to Moses on Mount Sinai, He 
gave him the two tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were 
written by the finger of God. 



The People Worship the Goldeh Calf, and 

are puhished. 




Exodus xxxii-xxxiii. 1491 B. C. 

ND all the commandments and directions about the tab- 
ernacle had been given by the Lord to Moses during 
the forty days he had been in the mount. But the 
time seemed long to the people at the foot of the 
mount, and they forgot God. They gathered them- 
selves together about Aaron, and said to him, Up, make 
unto us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this 



126 THE PEOPLE WORSHIP THE GOLDEN CALF, AND ARE PUNISHED. 

Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know 
not what is become of him. Probably they thought they would never see 
him again. 

And Aaron gave up to them and said, Break off the golden earrings 
which are in the ears of your wives and your daughters, and bring them 
to me. And all the people brought their earrings to Aaron, and he melted 
them in the fire, and shaped them into a golden calf. And then they said 
that this was their god which brought them out of Egypt. And Aaron 
built an altar before it, and ordered that the next day the people should 
hold a feast to this idol. And they rose up early on the morrow, and of- 
fered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat 
down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 

And the Lord saw what they were doing, and said to Moses, Go, get 
thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of Egypt, have cor- 
rupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which 
I commanded them; they have made them a molten calf, and have wor- 
shipped it. And the Lord was very much displeased with the people. 
But Moses prayed Him to forgive them, and not blot them out, and He 
heard Moses' prayer. 

Then Moses turned and went down from the mount, with the two 
tables of stone in his hand. The tables were written on both sides with 
the commandments. And when Joshua, who was with Moses, heard the 
noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, There is a noise of 
war in the camp. But Moses said, It is not the voice of them that fight, 
but it is the noise of them that sing that I hear. And as soon as they 
came nearer to the camp, Moses saw the calf, and the dancing; and his 
anger was very great, so that he cast the tables out of his hands, and broke 
them beneath the mount. 

And Moses took the calf and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to pow- 
der, and sprinkled it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink 
of it. And Moses said to Aaron, What did this people do to thee, to 
make thee sin so terribly? And Aaron said, Let not my lord be very an- 
gry; thou knowest how the people will do wrong. They said to me, 
Make us gods, because we do not know what has become of this Moses. 
And I told them to bring me their gold and I cast it into the fire, and there 
came out this calf. 

And Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who is on the 
Lord's side? Let him come to me. And all the sons of Levi came to 
him. And he said to them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every 
man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate through 
the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, 
and every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did so, and about 



128 THE NEW TABLES OF STONE ARE GIVEN. 

three thousand men were killed that day. And on the morrow Moses 
said to the people, Ye have sinned a great sin ; and now I will go up unto 
the Lord; perhaps He will forgive you, if I ask Him. So Moses went 
back to the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and 
have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin — ; 
and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 
And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him 
will I blot out of my book. Therefore, now, go, lead the people unto the 
place of which I have spoken unto thee; behold mine angel shall go be- 
fore thee. After this the people were very sorry and mourned, and the 
Lord told them to take off their ornaments as a sign of their' sorrow for 
their sin. Then God came down again in the cloudy pillar, and the peo- 
ple saw it, and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the Lord 
spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses 
asked the Lord if He had freely forgiven the people that He would go 
with them. And the Lord said, My presence shall go with thee, and give 
thee rest. And Moses asked God to show him His glory. But God told 
him no man could see His glory and live, but that He would put Moses 
in a cleft in the rock, while He passed by and covered him with His hand. 
Then He would take away His hand, and Moses might be able to see a 
little of His glory. 

The New Tables of Stohe are Giyek. The 
Tabernacle Made. 




Exodus xxxiv-xl. 14QI-14Q0 B. C. 

ND the Lord said to Moses, Hew thee two tables of 
stone like the first; and I will write upon these tables 
the words that were on the first tables which thou 
brakest. And be ready in the morning, and come up 
to me in the top of Mount Sinai. And no man shall 
come up with thee, neither let any man be seen 
throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor 
herds feed before that mount. 

So Moses hewed two tables of stone like the first; and he rose up early 
in the morning, and went up into Mount Sinai, as the Lord had command- 
ed him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone. And the Lord came 
down in the cloud, and stood with him there, and spoke the name of the 
Lord. And Moses made haste and bowed his head to the earth, and wor- 
shipped God. And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O 
Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiff-necked peo- 
ple ; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. 






THE NEW TABLES OF STONE ARE GIVEN, 



2 9 



And the Lord said, Behold, I make a covenant; before all thy people I 
will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any 
nation ; and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the 
Lord ; for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. Then the Lord 
told Moses that He would drive out their enemies before them ; but they 
must be very careful not to make any promises to the heathen people 
when they should come into the land which God had promised them. But 
God said they must destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down 
their groves which they used in their idol worship. For they must 
worship no other God but the true God, and they must make no molten 
gods. 

Then God told them 
they must keep the Sabbath 
and the three great yearly 
feasts, which He had com- 
manded. 

And Moses was there 
in the mount with the Lord 
forty days and forty nights 
again, as he was when he 
received the first tables. 
And he did neither eat 
bread nor drink water all 
this time. And God wrote 
upon the tables of stone the 
words of the ten command- 
ments. And when Moses 
came down from Mount 
Sinai with the two tables of 
stone in his hand, his face 
shone so brightly with 
God's glory reflected on it, 
that Aaron and all the 
children of Israel were 
afraid to come near him. So Moses put a veil over his face, and told 
them all the things that the Lord had said to him in the mount. 

Moses told them that the Lord had said they must keep the seventh 
day a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord, and they must not do any 
work on that day. And God had, also, told them that they must bring an 
offering of gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, 
and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' 
skins, and shittim-wood, and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing 




M0SE8 RECEIVES THE SECOHD TABLES. 



i3° 



THE TABERNACLE MADE. 




THET BRING EARRINGS. 



oil, and for the sweet incense, and onyx stones, and stones to be set for the 
ephod, and for the breastplate, all that would be needed in building the 
tabernacle. 

Then the people went away to their homes, to gather up these gifts. 
And they came again, both men and women, 
all that were willing, and brought bracelets, 
and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels 
of gold, and offered them to the Lord for the 
tabernacle. They also brought wood, silver, 
and linen, and the women spun the linen, and 
brought colored cloth for the curtains of the 
tabernacle and the clothes of the priests. The 
rich rulers brought the precious stones, and ex- 
pensive spice and oil. The children of Israel 
brought a willing offering unto the Lord. 

Then Moses gave all these things into the hands of Bezaleel and 
Aholiab, and those who were to help in building the tabernacle. The 
people kept on bringing their gifts every morning so generously that 
Moses had to send a proclamation through the camp not to bring any more. 
For there was more than enough stuff for all the work. 

So all these men set to work, and Bezaleel took charge of the whole. 
They made the curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and 
scarlet, with cherubim of cunning work for the tabernacle. Then they 
made the curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle, and a 
covering of rams' skins dyed red and of badgers' skins above that. They 
also made all the boards for the tabernacle, and 
covered them with gold, and they made the 
sockets of silver into which the boards were to 
be put, and bars of wood covered with gold. 

They also made the veil to separate the 
holy from the most holy place of the taberna- 
cle, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine 
linen ; and they made the hanging for the door 
of the tabernacle of the same materials. 

Then Bezaleel made the ark of shittim-wood, and overlaid it with pure 
gold, and the mercy-seat, which was to cover it, that was all of gold, and 
had upon each end of it a beautiful golden cherub with wings which 
reached over the mercy-seat. And the faces of the cherubs turned 
toward each other. 

And he made the table of shittim-wood, and overlaid it with pure gold, 
and placed around it a crown of gold. He also made the dishes for the 
table, the spoons, and bowls and covers all of pure gold. He made the 




THEY BRING BRACELETS. 



THE TABERNACLE MADE. 



I3 1 



candlestick of pure gold, six branches going out of it, all beautifully orna- 
mented, three on one side and three on the other, 
and seven lamps to hold oil, with the snuffers, 
and snuff dishes, all belonging to the candlestick, 
and made of pure gold. He made the incense 
altar of wood, and overlaid it with gold. And he 
made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense 
of sweet spices. 

And Bezaleel made the altar of burnt offering 
of wood, and the horns at the four corners, and 
overlaid it with brass. And he made all the ves- 
sels for this altar of brass, and a brass grate of network where the fire 
was to be put to burn the animals in sacrifice. And he made the laver of 




THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK. 




THE BRAZEN LAVER. 




132 THE TABERNACLE MADE. 

brass, and the foot of it of brass, out of the brass looking-glasses which 
the women brought. This was a great basin, where Aaron and the other 
priests were to wash their hands and feet before they went into the taber- 
nacle, as God commanded them. And Bezaleel made the court of the 
_ tabernacle. In this there were brass pillars 

with silver hooks, and between the pillars were 
to be hung curtains of fine twined linen, and 
for the gate another hanging was made of 
needlework of blue, and purple, and scarlet, 
and fine linen. All the pins of the tabernacle 
and the court round about were of brass. 

And Bezaleel made all that the Lord had 
commanded Moses. And with him, in superin- 
tending the work, was Aholiab, an engraver 

THEY BRING BRASS LOOKING- *=> » & 

glasses for the la ver. and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer 

in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen. 

And they made, also, the holy garments for Aaron, the ephod of gold, 
blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. And they beat the gold into 
thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, purple, scarlet air" 
linen, with cunning work. They made shoulder pieces for it, and a curl- 
ous girdle to wear with it, of the same materials, as the Lord commanded 
Moses. They worked onyx stones set in gold, with the names of the chil- 
dren of Israel engraved on them, and put them on the shoulders of the 
ephod, for a memorial to the children of Israel. 

They also made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the 
ephod ; and they set in it four rows of precious stones, as God had directed 
them. And each stone bore one of the names of the twelve children of 
Israel upon it, and they were all set in gold, and the breastplate was fast- 
ened to the ephod by golden chains. The robe to be worn underneath 
the ephod they made of blue, and upon its hem at the bottom were fast- 
ened bells and pomegranates of gold. They also made coats of fine linen 
for Aaron and his sons, and goodly bonnets of linen, and linen breeches. 
Also they made a mitre for Aaron to wear on his head, to which was 
fastened a lace of blue ; and upon this was tied in front a plate of pure 
gold. Upon this plate were engraved the words, holiness to the lord. 

Thus was all the work of the tabernacle finished. And they brought 
all the parts together to show to Moses. And Moses did look upon all 
the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded. 
And Moses blessed them. 

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, On the first day of the first 
month shalt thou set up the tabernacle. And thou shalt put therein the 
ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the veil. And thou shalt 



THE TABERNACLE MADE. 



!33 



,^%-a 



bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order 
upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps there- 
of. And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of 
the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle. And 
thou shalt set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle. 

And thou shalt set the laver between the 
tent and the altar, and shalt put water therein. 
And thou shalt set up the court round about, 
and hang up the hanging at the court gate. 
And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and 
anoint the tabernacle and all that is therein, 
and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof; 
and it shall be holy. And thou shalt bring 
Aaron and his sons unto the door of the taber- 
nacle, and wash them with water. And thou 
shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him and sanctify him: 
that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. 

And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats, and thou 
shalt anoint them, as thou didst their father, unto the priest's office. 

Thus did Moses as the Lord commanded him. He built up the court 
round about the tabernacle, and he finished the work. 

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of 
the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter because 
of the cloud and the glory of the Lord. And after that, the children of 
Israel were guided by this cloud in all their wanderings. If the cloud 
rested over the tabernacle, they remained where they were, and if it was 
taken up, they moved on. 




3IOSES LOOKS UPON* THE WORK. 




134 



LAWS ABOUT OFFERINGS. 



Laws About Offerings. 




Leviticus i-vii. 1490 B. C. 

ND the Lord called unto Moses, and spoke unto him out 
of the tabernacle, after Moses had set it up. And the 
Lord gave him particular directions or laws about a great 
many things which the children of Israel would have to 
do. 

The first rules were about the burnt offerings, which 
they were to make for their sins. The animals which they killed for the 
burnt offering were either bullocks, or sheep, or goats, or turtle doves, or 
young pigeons. These were prepared in a certain way, and wholly 
burned upon the great brass altar outside the tabernacle. There was a 
regular burnt offering every morning and every evening, which the priests 
had to offer. This was one lamb each time. Then, besides this, if any 
man wished to offer a sacrifice for his own sins, he had to bring one of 
these animals to the door of the tabernacle, and 
put his hand upon the head of the animal; then he 
killed the animal, and the priests burned it upon 
the altar. This was to show that he was sorry 
for his sin, and wanted God to forgive him. And 
God promised to forgive him when he had done 
this. Since Christ came and offered Himself for 
our sins, no one has ever had to offer any animals 
in sacrifice. God forgives us now, when we ask 
Him, for Christ's sake. Besides the burnt offer- 
ing, there was the meat offering, which might be flour mixed with oil and 

frankincense, or cakes or wafers mixed with 
oil, or a loaf mixed in the same way; or it 
might be the same kind of dough fried in a 
frying pan. But no leaven or yeast nor honey 
must be used in this dough. The priest was 
I to take a part of the meat offering, to burn 
upon the altar to the Lord, and the rest Aaron 
and his sons were to eat. There was, also, the 
oblation of first fruits, which was green ears of 
corn dried by the fire, with oil and frankin- 
cense put on them. With these, and all other offerings, God commanded 
that salt should be used. 




THE BURNT OFFERING. 




MEAT OFFERING. 



MOSES CONSECRATES AARON AND HIS SONS. 



137 



When a man wished to thank God for some blessing he had received, 
or to pay a vow unto the Lord, or ask a special favor of Him, he offered a 
peace offering. This was an animal, upon which the man laid his hand 
before it was killed, as he did in the burnt offering ; but in this case only a 
part was burnt on the altar to the Lord. The rest was given back to the 
man, and was to be eaten by him with his family or friends. It must be 
eaten before the third day after it was killed. 

Then there were offerings for sins of ignorance, when the people broke 
some law without knowing it, and trespass offerings, besides the special 
offerings when the priests were consecrated. All these things the Lord 
commanded Moses to do, while the children of Israel were still near the 
mountain in the wilderness of Sinai. 



Moses Consecrates Aaroh ahd His Sons. 




Leviticus viii-xii. 1490 B. C. 

ND the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Take Aaron and 
his sons with him and the garments, and the anointing 
oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, 
and a basket of unleavened bread ; and gather thou all 
the congregation together unto the door of the taber- 
nacle. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. 
And Moses brought Aaron and his four sons, and washed them with wa- 
ter. Then he put upon Aaron the coat, and girded him with the girdle, 
and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded 
him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and put the breastplate upon 
him ; he also put the mitre upon his head, with 
the golden plate or crown in front. And 
Moses anointed the tabernacle, and all that was 
in it, with oil, and sprinkled the altar with it 
seven times, and anointed the laver and its foot. 
Then he poured the oil on Aaron's head, and 
thus set him apart to be high priest. Then he 
put upon Aaron's sons their clothes. They 
were not so beautiful as Aaron's. Then Moses 
offered the animals which he had been com- 
manded to take, and put a little of the blood upon the tip of Aaron's right 
ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his 
right foot. He did this, also, to Aaron's sons. Then he took an unleav- 
ened cake out of the basket of unleavened bread, and a cake of oiled bread, 
and one wafer, and put them upon Aaron's and his sons' heads, and waved 
them for a wave-offering before the Lord. 




EPHOD BREASTPLATE AND MITRE. 



138 



MOSES CONSECRATES AARON AND HIS SONS. 




PUTTING GARMENTS 
AARON. 



Then Moses sprinkled the anointing oil upon Aaron and his sons, and 
sanctified them. And Moses told Aaron and his 
sons to boil the flesh of the animals at the door of 
the tabernacle; and there eat it with the bread 
that was in the basket. And what remained was 
to be burned. And Moses told them they were 
not to go out of the door of the tabernacle for 
seven days. They must keep this command of 
the Lord, or else they would die. For God want- 
ed them to feel how holy a thing it was to be His 
priests. So Aaron and his sons did all these 
things. 

On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of 
Israel, and told Aaron to offer a burnt offering, a sin offering, a peace offer- 
ing, and a meat offering, because God would appear to him that day. So 
Aaron made all these offerings before the Lord, and then lifted up his 
hand towards the people and blessed them. And Moses and Aaron went 
into the tabernacle, and came out, and blessed the people; and the glory 
of the Lord appeared to 
all the people. And 
there came a fire out from 
before the Lord, and 
burnt up the offering 
upon the altar ; and when 
the people saw it, they 
shouted, and fell on their 
faces 

After this, Nadab 
and Abihu, two of the 
sons of Aaron, committed 
sin by disobeying God's 
command about burning 
incense. They burnt 
strange fire in their cen- 
sers. And there went 
fire out from the Lord 
and killed them. Then 
Moses told Aaron that 
God had said, I will be 
sanctified by those that 
come nigh me, and be- 
fore all the people I will consecration op aaron and his sons. 




LAWS ABOUT LEPROSY AND OTHER THINGS. 



*39 




AARON OFFERING SACRIFICE. 



be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. And Moses called two men to 
come and carry the dead bodies of Nadab and 
Abihu outside of the camp. And Moses told 
Aaron and his two other sons, Eleazar and 
Ithamar, that they must not put on the signs 
of mourning else they might die ; because God 
had sent the fire which killed these men, be- 
cause they were wicked. And the Lord told 
Aaron he nor his sons must not drink wine nor 
strong drink when they went into the taberna- 
cle; because they must make a difference be- 
tween the holy and unholy, between the unclean and clean. And the 
Lord told Moses and Aaron that the children of Israel were not to eat all 
kinds of animals, but only those that had a divided hoof and chewed the 
cud like the ox, the sheep or the goat. The animals that did not divide 
the hoof, as well as chew the cud, like the pig, the coney or the hare, they 
must not use for food. Of the fish they could eat only such as had fins 
and scales both. And among the fowls, they must not eat such as the 
eagle, the vulture, the raven, the owl, the stork, the bat, and others, nei- 
ther must they, on any account, eat any creeping thing that creepeth upon 
the earth. For they must make a difference between the unclean and the 
clean. 

Laws About Leprosy ahd Other Things. 




Leviticus xiii-xxii. 1490 B. C. 

ND the Lord told Moses and Aaron what they should do 
if any one began to have the terrible disease of leprosy. 
It is a very contagious disease, and God gave them strict 
laws, so that if it appeared it might not spread among the 
people. He told them that if any man should have any 
spot come on his skin that was like leprosy, he must be 
taken to one of the priests. Then the priest was to say whether it was 
leprosy or not. If it was found to be really leprosy, the man must go out- 
side the camp and live alone, and if any one came near him he must cry, 
Unclean, unclean. When he was well again, then he must go and show 
himself to the priest. If the priest said he was well, two birds must be 
taken with cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, and certain things were to be 
done with them. Then the man's clothes must be washed, his hair shaved, 
and he must wait seven days. On the eighth day the man must bring 
three lambs to the tabernacle, or if he were too poor to bring these, two 
turtle doves or two young pigeons, and the priest would offer them as a 




ABRAHAM ABOUT TO OFFER UP ISAAC. 



I40 



LAWS ABOUT LEPROSY AND OTHER THINGS. 



I [I 




sacrifice to the Lord for his cleansing. Then the man could go back to 
his home again, and live inside the camp. 

Then the Lord gave Moses and Aaron laws for the cleansing of people 
suffering with other sickness. Afterwards God told Moses how careful 

Aaron must be about going into the most holy 
place of the tabernacle. It was very sacred, 
indeed, and the high priest only could enter 
there, and he could only go in once a year. 
This was on the day of atonement, which came 
the tenth day of the seventh month. All the 
people were to humble themselves, and the 
high priest must put on his holy garments, and 
go into the most holy place with the blood of 
aarox before the MEKCY-SEAT. the sin offerings, which he was to sprinkle on 
the golden mercy-seat that covered the ark inside the vail. He was, also 
to take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar, and his 
hands full of sweet incense, beaten small, and bring them within the vail; 
then he was to burn the incense so that the cloud of the smoke of it might 
cover the mercy-seat. And Aaron was to make atonement for himself, 
for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. And there must 
be no man in the holy place, when he came out from the most holy place. 
Then he was to go out to the altar, and sprinkle it seven times with blood. 
Then came the ceremony of sending away the scape-goat. Aaron was to 
lay both his hands upon the head of a live goat, and confess over him the 
sins of the children of Israel, and then send him away by the hand of a fit 
man into the wilderness. And the goat was thus to bear away the iniqui- 
ties of the people, to a land where nobody lived. The man who let the 
scape-goat go, was to wash himself and his clothes, and afterwards to come 
back into the camp. All these services God commanded the children of 
Israel to perform until Christ should come. He was the precious Lamb 
of God, and when He died on the cross all these sacrifices of animals were 
done away with: the holy vail was torn away, and Jesus Himself became 
our High Priest forever. 

The Lord, also, told Moses that he must say to Aaron and his sons, and 
all the people, that if any man wished to make an offering to the Lord, it 
must not be done anywhere except at the door of the tabernacle; and it 
must be offered by the priest. This rule must also be obeyed by any 
stranger who happened to be staying in the camp. Another rule, which 
the Lord gave, was that the blood of animals must not be eaten by any 
one. Another rule was, that they must make no unlawful marriages. 
Then God repeated some of the laws already given, because they were so 
important. He said to Moses, Speak to all the congregation and say to 



142 LAWS ABOUT LEPROSY AND OTHER THINGS. 

them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. Ye shall fear 
every man his mother, and father, and keep my Sabbaths; I am the Lord 
your God. Turn ye not to idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods; I 
am the Lord your God. Then God told them again about eating their 
peace offerings the same day they were killed, and not keeping them till 
the third day. He said when they reaped their harvest, they must leave 
the corners of the field without cutting, for the poor people and strangers 
to gather. They must not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie one to another. 
They must not swear falsely, nor take the name of God in vain. They 
must not defraud nor rob one another: and they must pay one who had 
been working for them at night, when he had. finished his work. They 
must not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block in the way of the 
blind. They must judge their neighbors, whether poor or rich, rightly. 
They must not carry tales of evil about each other. They must not hate 
their brother in their hearts. Finally, God said, Thou shalt not avenge, 
nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love 
thy neighbor as thyself. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in 
meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just 
ephah, and a just hin shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which 
brought you out of the land of Egypt. 

God, also, said to Moses, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or 
of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth his seed unto Molech; 
he shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him 
with stones. This meant that the people must not allow their children to 
be put through the fire in the worship of the heathen idol, Molech, as 
some of the nations around them did. And they must have nothing to do 
with familiar spirits or wizards. They would surely be put to death if 
they did. Then God said that the priests must be free from every un- 
cleanness when they served Him, and the animals they offered must be 
free from any blemish. 



THE THREE GREAT FEASTS. THE YEAR OF JUBILEE. 



43 



The Three Great Feasts 

Jubilee. 



The Year of 



Leviticus xxiii-xxvii. 1490 and 1491 B. C. 

GAIN the Lord repeats the commands about the feasts, 
which the children of Israel were to keep every year. 
There were three great feasts: The first was held for 
seven days in the first month of the year, beginning with 
the fourteenth day. This was called the Passover, and 
was to keep in the minds of the people their wonderful 
deliverance from the hand of Pharaoh, when the angel of death came to 
the oldest child in every Egyptian home, but spared all the Israelites alive. 
The second great feast was the feast of Pentecost, or the feast of harvest, 





THE FEAST OP THE TABERNACLE. 



which came fifty days after the first grain was cut. At this feast, what 
the people offered, was a tribute of a free-will gift to the Lord, and they 
were to rejoice with their friends, as they remembered how they were 
slaves in Egypt, but now are free and happy. 



144 



THE THREE GREAT FEASTS. THE YEAR OF JUBILEE. 



This third was the feast of Tabernacles, which began on the fifteenth 
day of the seventh month, and lasted seven days. The people were to take 
boughs of trees and make booths, and live in them for a week. This feast 
came after they had gathered in their grapes and grain, and was also called 
the feast of Ingathering. The Lord said the people were to rejoice in this 
feast, also, as they remembered how they lived in tents, when they came 
away from the land of Egypt. Besides these feasts, the people were to 
keep the first day of the seventh month as a memorial day, by the blowing 
of trumpets. 

Then the Lord told Moses that the people must bring him pure olive 

1 




THE FEAST OP TRUMPETS. 



oil, beaten, to keep the lamps always burning in the tabernacle. He told 
Moses that he must bake twelve cakes of shewbread every week, to put on 
the golden table inside of the tabernacle, fresh every Sabbath. And 
Aaron and his sons were to eat this bread in the holy place. The Lord, 
also, gave Moses laws about the man who blasphemed God's holy name. 
He must be stoned to death outside the camp, because it was a dreadful 
sin. Then the Lord told Moses that when the children of Israel should 
come into the land of Canaan, that they must keep each seventh year as a 
Sabbath or resting year. God said that six years they should sow their 



THE HISTORY OF MOSES. 



145 



fields, and prune their vineyards, but the seventh year they were not to 
sow the grain, nor prune their vineyards, neither must they gather the 
harvest of that which grew itself ; but they must let the land rest one year 
in seven. Then they were to number seven times seven years; and the 
fiftieth year was to be a year of jubilee. This was to be ushered in by the 
blowing of the trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month on the day 
of atonement. They were to hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty 
to all that were in the land. It was to be a glad jubilee for everybody. 
They were to let the land rest as they did each seventh year, and God 
told them that He would make enough grow the year before to give them 
food for three years. All who had been sold as slaves before, went free 
again on this fiftieth year; and those who had been forced to sell their 
land because of poverty, received it back again on this year of jubilee. 
God said, The land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. 
And the Lord further said, if the people would keep His commandments 
and do them, He would give them rain, and the land should yield good 
crops and they should dwell safely. They should have peace in the land, 
and God would rid the land of evil beasts, and they should not be con- 
quered by their enemies. But if they would not listen to God's voice, nor 
do His will, they would have terror, consumption, and the burning 
pgre; they would sow seed in vain, for their enemies would eat it. God 
would have to follow them with punishment till they turned again to Him. 
He would not cast them wholly away, but He would remember His cove- 
nant with their ancestors, whom He brought forth out of the land of 
Egypt in the sight of the heathen. 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



THE story of Moses is the story at first of failure. He was not ready 
at once for the great mission God had designed him to fulfill. Two 
great streams of influence molded his life, the one drawn from the 
Egyptian surroundings of his early days, the other drunk in with his 
mother's milk and his mother's teaching. On the one side he had the 
speechless-eyed deities of Egypt looking ever into his face, on the other 
he had a belief in the governing providence of God. 

He knew from the education given him by his mother of the destiny 
of the divinely led race, and refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's 
daughter, nobly choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God. He 
had been educated in the palace to all king craft. Was he now the well 
fitted leader? Not yet. He had kingly qualities but not Christly quali- 
ties. He could not bear with a rebellious people as God bears long with a 
rebellious race. He expected to find amongst his own people aspirations 
after better things, and responsiveness to his own spirit, but he met with 
chilliness, coldness and refusal to follow. 

He must exchange the palace for the desert of Midian. He must leave 



I46 ' THE HISTORY OF MOSES. 

association with haughty kings and princes and go out and associate with 
sheep till he learns meekness. He has had forty years of man's training, 
let him have forty years of God's by nature, meditation and personal in- 
spiration. 

God gave him in the burning bush a threefold revelation of perma- 
nence, of purity, and of personal power. The revelation of the burning 
bush was not for Moses alone. There is in every common bush the light 
of God, and only those see it who draw off their shoes. All history is 
sacred as well as secular. If we would earnestly desire to see God we 
shall meet him everywhere. 

When Moses' heart fails him in the dreaded meeting with Pharaoh, 
God overcomes all his fears by saying to him, Fear not, I will be with 
thee. And the God Whose we are and Whom we serve will be ever with 
us in all the difficulties and trials of life. 

We must not look therefore at what we are, but at what God is. God's 
call to faith in Him and work for Him is the greatest call in His universe. 

"The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart," means that Pharaoh hardened 
his own heart. Pharaoh indulged in sin, until he was given over to his 
sin, then the sin made its own punishment. God tempts no man to sin. 
But He is ready to forgive all sin, and by the Divine spirit of grace and 
discipline subdue even all things to 'Himself. 

"When I see the blood I will pass over you." That sprinkled blood 
of the slain lamb was full of meaning. It was an expiation and a feast, a 
memorial and a prophecy. 

It meant the passing over of the destroying angel. It typified the shed 
blood of the Divine Lamb of God, to atone for the sins of the whole 
world. Sin is the most hideous thing in the universe. It means every 
possible death. The shedding of the precious blood of Christ is God's 
only way of salvation. Without shedding of blood there is no remission 
of sins. The Cross is the meeting-place of God's mercy for sinners. 

Then comes the wonderful deliverance of the children of Israel, the 
crossing of the Red Sea, the destruction of Pharaoh's host, the song of 
deliverance, the wilderness journey, the giving of the law on Sinai, the 
idolatry of the people, the wandering in the desert; all setting forth great 
spiritual truths for us earnestly to look into and derive profit therefrom in 
our own life's history. 

What a lesson to us is the murmuring of the people because they had 
not flesh to eat; of Aaron and Miriam because Moses had higher honor 
than they ; of the children of Israel against Moses and Aaron because they 
believed the report of the cowardly ten spies, and not that of the lion- 
hearted Caleb and Joshua. It teaches us to guard against a spirit of 
peevish, faithless discontent — to give due honor to the deserving — to make 
the very best of the circumstances in which we are placed, and loyally and 
hopefully in the strength of God go forward and do the work He has 
given us to do. 



THE LEVITES ARE CHOSEN. 147 



The Leyites are Choseh. 




Numbers i-vi. I4QO B. C. 

HE children of Israel were divided into thirteen tribes. 
Eleven of these tribes were descended from sons of 
Jacob, or Israel; but two of them sprang from Joseph's 
sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, grandsons of Jacob. 
Their names were these: the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, 
Levi, Judah, Zebulon, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naph- 
tali, Ephraim, Manasseh, ond Benjamin. 

The children of Israel were still in the wilderness of Sinai. On the 
first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out 
of the land of Egypt, the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron to number 
in each tribe, except in the tribe of Levi, all the men over twenty years 
old that were able to go forth to war. Moses and Aaron did as the Lord 
had commanded. They counted six hundred and three thousand, five hun- 
dred and fifty men in all Israel, who were able to be soldiers. 

But the Levites, or men of the tribe of Levi, were not numbered 
among them. For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt 
not number the tribes of Levi, but thou shalt appoint the Levites over the 
tabernacle. They were chosen by the Lord to have charge of the taber- 
nacle and of all the things that belonged to it. They were to encamp 
round about it. And when it was to be moved, they were to take it down ; 
and when it was to be pitched, they were to set it up. And if any stranger 
came near to the tabernacle, he was to be put to death, because it was very 
holy. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and pre- 
sent them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And 
thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons. And they shall 
keep all the instruments of the tabernacle, and do the work about the tab- 
ernacle. And the Lord commanded Moses to number the children of 
Levi. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as 
he was commanded. All that were numbered of the Levites, which 
Moses and Aaron numbered, throughout their families, all the males from 
a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand. Of these, all the 
men from thirty years old and upward, even until fifty years old, were to 
do the work in and about the tabernacle. The number of them was eight 
thousand, five hundred and eighty men. 



148 



THE PRINCES BRING GIFTS TO THE TABERNACLE. 



And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto 
his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying 
unto them: The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make His face 
to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up His coun- 
tenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 



The Prihces Brihg Gifts to the Taberhacle. 



Numbers vii-x. 1490 B. C. 

N the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and 
had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments 
belonging to it, both the altar and all the vessels, the 
twelve priests of Israel, who were the heads of the other 
twelve tribes, came, bringing offerings to the tabernacle. 
They brought six covered wagons and twelve oxen ; also 
silver trays, silver bowls and golden spoons, twelve of each. They also 





TRUMPETS SOUNDING THE ALARM. 



THE QUAILS. 



149 



brought oxen, rams, lambs, and kids of the goats, to be sacrificed to the 
Lord. And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the 
Levites. Two wagons were to be used for carrying the curtains of 
the tabernacle; and the other four for carrying the boards, the 
bars, and the pillars of the tabernacle. But the most holy things — the ark, 
the golden table, the golden candlestick, the golden altar, and the brass 
altar — were to be borne upon the shoulders of the Levites. 

And on the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the 
tabernacle; and at night there was upon the tabernacle the appearance of 
fire until the morning. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, 
and the appearance of fire by night. And when the Lord lifted the cloud 
up from the tabernacle, then the children of Israel journeyed on, following 
the cloud; and in the place where the cloud stopped, there they stopped 
and pitched their tents. As long as the cloud stayed upon the tabernacle, 
they rested in their tents. And whenever the cloud was taken up, 
whether by day or by night, they journeyedo At the commandment of 
the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord 
they journeyed. And Moses made two silver trumpets, just as the Lord 
had told him to do. The trumpets were to sound an alarm when Moses 
wished to call together the children of Israel, or when they were about to 
start again on their journey. 

On the twentieth day of the second month in the second /ear, the cloud 
was taken up from the tabernacle. And the children of Israel went out 
of the wilderness of Sinai, and they journeyed for three days, until the 
cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran, and there they stopped and pitched 
their tents. 



The Quails. 



Numbers xi. 14QO B. C. 

LTHOUGH God -was doing so much for the 
children of Israel, and was leading them toward 
the promised land by means of the cloud and the 
pillar of fire, the people began to find fault. 
This displeased the Lord, and He sent a fire 
among them, which burnt many of them in 
their camps. And the people cried unto Moses: 
and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire 
was quenched. And Moses called the name of 
the place Taberah, which means a burning. 
But soon the Israelites again became dissatisfied. They were tired of 
the manna which God sent them, and they longed for flesh to eat. They 




i5° 



THE QUAILS. 



said, We remember the fish which we did eat freely in Egypt; the cu- 
cumbers, the melons, and the onions, and the fruit; but now there is noth- 
ing at all, except this manna, before our eyes. Then Moses heard the 
people weeping throughout their families, every man in the door of his 
tent. And Moses was displeased with them, because they were not con- 
tented with the food God provided for them each day. Then Moses said 
unto the Lord, From where could I get flesh to give unto all this people? 
I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 
And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, now, if I have found 
favor in thy sight. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather together for me seventy men 
of the elders of Israel, and bring them into the tabernacle, that they may 
stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: 
and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and I will put it upon 
them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou 
bear it not thyself alone. And say thou unto the people, sanctify your- 
selves, and the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat, not one day 
alone, nor two days, nor five days; but even a whole month, until it shall 
be loathsome to you; because you have despised the Lord. And Moses 
said, Here, Lord, are six hundred thousand men ; and Thou hast said, I 
will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks 
and the herds be slain for them, or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered 
together for them, that they may be supplied? And the Lord said, Has 
the Lord's hand grown weak ? thou shalt see now whether my word shall 
come to pass unto thee or not. Then Moses went out, and told the people 
the words of the Lord, and he gathered together in the tabernacle the 
seventy men of the elders of the people. 

And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from 
the sea, and let them fall for miles around the camp of the Israelites. 
They fell in such numbers, that the top of the ground was covered 
about three feet deep. And the people stood up all that day and all that 
night and all the next day, and they gathered the quails. And while the 
flesh was yet between their teeth, before they had begun to eat it, the 
wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord sent a 
very great plague among the people, which killed many of them. The 
Israelites called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah, which means 
the graves of those that sin. 

And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah to Hazeroth, and 
there they stoppju. 



THE SPIES. 



151 



The Spies. 




Numbers xii-xv. 14QO B. C. 

LTHOUGH Moses was the chief man of Israel, whom 
God honored above all the others, yet he was very meek ; 
indeed, he was more humble than any other man then 
living. But although he was so great and so meek, his 
sister, Miriam, and Aaron, his brother, found fault with 
him because he had married an Ethiopian woman, in- 
stead of one of the women of Israel. And they said, Hath the Lord, in- 
deed, spoken only by Moses? Hath He not spoken also by us? Are we 
not also rulers over the children of Israel? And the Lord heard them, and 
called them with Moses to the tabernacle. There He told them that He 
honored Moses above the prophets, and He asked them why they were 
not afraid to speak against His servant Moses. 

When the pillar of the Lord arose from the tabernacle, Miriam became 
leprous, white as snow. The Lord had made her so, as a punishment for 
the wickedness of her 
brother Aaron and herself. 
And Aaron besought Moses 
not to lay the sin upon her 
for their foolishness, but to 
ask the Lord to cure her. 
And Moses cried to the 
Lord, saying, Heal her now, 
O God, I beseech thee. 
And God heard his prayer, 
and in seven days fully 
healed Miriam of her lep- 
rosy. And afterward the 
people journeyed from 
Hazeroth, and pitched in 
the wilderness of Paran. 

And the Lord said to 
Moses, Send thou men, that 
the}- may search the land 
of Canaan, which I give 
unto the children of Israel : 
of every tribe of their 
fathers shall ye send a man, 
every one a ruler among 

THE LEPROST OF MIRIAM. 




T5 2 • THE SPIES. 

them. And Moses, by the commandment of tne Lord, sent the men from 
the wilderness of Paran to spy out the land of Canaan. He told them to 
travel towards the south, and to climb the mountain; and to see whether 
the land was fruitful or barren, and if there were trees; what cities there 
were, and how many people, and whether they were strong or weak; he 
also told them to bring back some of the fruits of the land. 

So they went up and searched the land. And they returned after 
forty days, bringing with them a large cluster of grapes, which two of 
them bore upon a staff, and also pomegranates and figs. And they 
brought back word that the land flowed with milk and honey. But they 
said that giants dwelt there, and that their cities were walled ; that they 
themselves looked like grasshoppers beside those great men. But Caleb, 
who was one of the spies, said, Let us go up at once, and possess the land ; 
for we are able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, 
We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than 
we are. 

And all the people wept and cried that night. They murmured against 
Moses and Aaron, and said to them, Would God that we had died in the 
land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! ' And why 
hath the Lord brought us unto this land to fall by the sword? Were it 
not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, 
Let us choose a captain, and return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron 
fell on their faces before all the people. And Caleb, and Joshua, another 
good spy, spoke to the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we 
passed through to search, is a very good land. If the Lord delight in us, 
then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth 
with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, neither fear 
the people of the land ; for the Lord is with us. 

But the people would not hear the good spies, and wanted to stone 
them to death. Then the Lord said to Moses, How long will this people 
provoke Me? Because all these men who have seen My glory, and My 
miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, have tempted Me 
now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; surely they shall 
not see the land which I promised unto their fathers; but Caleb and Josh- 
ua, because they have followed Me fully, them will I bring unto the 
promised land. And they shall wander for forty years in the wilderness. 
To-morrow turn and go into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea. 

When Moses told these things to the people, they mourned greatly. 
And in the morning they disobeyed Moses by going up into the mountain 
that overlooked the promised land: for they thought the Lord would still 
let them see the land flowing with milk and honey: but the giants who 
dwelt in the mountain drove them back, and many were killed. 



korah's rebellion. 



53 



Korah's Rebellion. 



Numbers xvi-xviii. 1471 B. C. 

FTER this, three men named Korah, Dathan and 
Abiram with two hundred and fifty princes of Israel, 
gathered themselves together against Moses and 
Aaron. Korah, who was one of the Levites, was not 
satisfied with his work of waiting on the priests, but 
wished to be a priest himself. And these men asked 
Moses and Aaron why they set themselves up above the rest of the peo- 
ple. Moses said to them in reply, that on the next day the Lord would 
show who were His, and who were holy. He told them to take their cen- 
sers on the day following, and to put fire therein, and to put incense in 
them before the Lord. 

On the next day, Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and two hundred and fifty 





KORAH'S REBELLION. 



princes, took their censers and put fire in them and the incense thereon, 
and stood in the door of the tabernacle, with Moses and Aaron. And Korah 
gathered all the people against Moses and Aaron, around the door of the 
tabernacle. Then the glory of the Lord appeared before all the congregation, 
and the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, Separate yourselves from among 
this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. But Moses and 
Aaron fell upon their faces, and prayed earnestly that God would spare 
the people. And the Lord heard him, but commanded that the people 



154 



KORAHS REBELLION. 



should go away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Then 
Moses said that if the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, 
with all that belonged to them, then the children of Israel should under- 
stand that these men had provoked the Lord. As Moses made an end of 
speaking, the ground opened and swallowed up Korah, Dathan, and 
Abiram, and their houses, and all that belonged to them. And all Israel 
that were around, fled at their cries. At the same time, a fire from the 
Lord consumed the 
two hundred and 
fifty princes, who 
were offering in- 
cense. 

But on the mor- 
row all the people 
murmured against 
Moses and Aaron, 
saying, Ye have 
killed the people of 
the Lord. And the 
Lord said to Moses, 
Get you up from 
among this congre- 
gation that I may 
consume them in a 
moment. And 
Moses said to 
Aaron, Take a cen- 
ser and put fire 
therein from off the 
altar, and put on 
incense and go 
quickly into the 
congregation and 
make an atonement 
for them ; for there 
is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun. And Aaron 
took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; 
and, behold, the plague was begun among the people; and he put on in- 
cense and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the 
dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. But fourteen thousand 
seven hundred died. 

At the command of the Lord, each of the tribes brought a rod to 




MOSES AND AAKON INTERCEDING FOK THE PEOPLE. 



MOSES AND AAROX SIX AT THE ROCK. THE FIERY SERPEXTS. [ c 



Moses; on each of these rods was written the name of the man who 
brought it. And Moses laid them up in the tabernacle of witness; for the 
Lord had said that He would make to blossom the rod of that man, whom 
He chose for His high priest. On the morrow, when Moses returned to 
see the rods, he found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had 
brought forth buds and blossoms, and had yielded almonds. And Moses 
brought out all the rods before all the people, and they looked and took 
every man his rod. And the Lord told Moses to bring Aaron's rod again 
into the tabernacle to be kept sacred. 

And the Lord said to Aaron, that the children of Levi were to do noth- 
ing but to take care of the tabernacle; that they were to have no part of 
the promised land given to them, as their nine would be wholly taken up 
in the service of the Lord; and that, for their support, the rest of the peo- 
ple were to give them a tenth part of their cattle, oil, wine, fruit, and grain. 



Moses and Aaron Sin at the Rock 
Fiery Serpents. 



The 



Number. 



S XX-XXl. 



1453-1452 B - c. 




BOL'T eighteen years had passed since God 
had made Aaron's rod to bloom. At last the 
people journeyed again, and came into the 
desert of Zin. In Kadesh, where thev stopped, 
Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died 
and was buried. 

Xow, in this wilderness of Zin there was no 
water to drink. Thev grew very thirsty, and 
came in a body to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 
Why have ye brought the congregation of the 
Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? And 
Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the door of the tabernacle. 
Then the Lord said to Moses, that if he would gather the people together 
and would smite with the rod the rock that was in front of them, water 
would pour out of it in abundance. But Moses did not do just as the 
Lord said, for when he had gathered the people together before the rock, 
he said to them, Here now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of 
this rock? Then he smote the rock twice; and the water came out 
abundantly, and the people and their beasts drank. But because JVloses 
and Aaron had disobeyed the Lord in saving to the people. Must we fetch 
you water out of this rock? and because they thus had made the people 
think that they, and not the Lord, had brought the water forth from the 




156 



JACOB WRESTLING WITH THE ANGEL. 



MOSES AXD*AAROX SIX AT THE ROCK. THE FIERY SERPEXTS. I 



5 7 



rock, the Lord punished them for their disobedience and pride, by telling 
them that they should not bring the children of Israel into the promised 
'land, but that they should die in the wilderness. 

After this Moses sent messengers to the king of the Edomites, who 
were the descendants of Esau, asking him to allow the Israelites to pass 
through his country. Moses promised that the people would keep on the 
king's highway, and would not wander through the fields or in the vine- 
yards, nor drink the water of the wells. 




TH3 DEFILES OP EDOM. 

But the king refused to allow them to pass through, and he marched 
out with a large army to turn them back if they tried to do so. Therefore 
they went another way, and came to Mount Hor. 

And there the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, that Aaron would die; 
for neither he nor Moses were to enter into the land which the Lord 
would give to the children of Israel, because they disobeyed God's word 
when they brought water out of the rock. And the Lord said, Take 
Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto Mount Hor: and 




i58 



MOSES SMITING THE ROCK. 



BALAAM. THE ISRAELITES AT THE JORDAN 



T 59 




strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and 

Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. And Moses 

did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into Mount Hor in the 

sight of all the congregation. And Moses 

stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them 

upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in 

the top of the mount; and Moses and Eleazar 

came down from the mount. And when all 

the conon-eoration saw that Aaron was dead, 

they mourned for him thirty days. 

While the children of Israel were journey- 
ing from Mount Hor by the way of the Red 
Sea, they became much discouraged because of 
their difficulties. They found fault, because they loathed the manna God 
sent, and wanted bread and water. Then the Lord punished them for 
their wickedness in not taking with gratitude what He gave them, by 
sending fiery serpents among them. The people were bitten by these 
poisonous serpents, and many died. Therefore, the people came to Moses, 
and told him that they had sinned in speaking against the Lord, and they 
besought him to pray to the Lord to take away the serpents. And Moses 
prayed for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, Make thee a fiery 
serpent, and set it upon a pole ; and it shall come to pass, that every one 
that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses did so, and 
it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the 
serpent of brass, he lived. 



AARON AND ELEAZAR. 



Balaam. The Israelites at the Jordah. 



Numbei's xxii-xxxv. 1452 B. C. 

ND the children of Israel came into the plains 

of Moab. Now Balak was the kingf of the 

Moabites. He was afraid of so many strangers 

coming into his land. He feared they would 

eat up or destroy everything he had. There 

was a prophet in that country, called Balaam. 

And Balak sent messengers to him, beseeching 

him to come and curse the Israelites ; for Balak 

thought that if Balaam should curse them, 

great evil would come on them. And Balak 

sent gifts by the messengers to Balaam, and promised to promote him to 

very great honor and to do anything that Balaam might ask of him, if 

only Balaam would come and curse the children of Israel. 




i6o 



BALAAM. THE ISRAELITES AT THE JORDAN. 



At first Balaam would not go, but after two days he rose up in the 

morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And 

God's anger was kindled 

because he went; and the 

angel of the Lord stood in 

his way, as he was riding 

upon his ass. The ass alone 

saw the angel standing in 

the road, with a drawn 

sword in his hand; and the 

ass turned aside and went 

into the field; and Balaam 

struck the ass, to turn her 

back into the road. But 

the angel then went on fur- 
ther and stood on a portion 

of the path that passed 

through a vineyard, where 

there was a wall on each 

side of the path. And 

when the ass again saw the 

angel, she shied against the 

wall, and crushed Balaam's 

foot. Then he struck her 

again. And the angel 

went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no chance to 

turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the 

angel, she fell down under Balaam. This made him angry, and he beat 

the ass with his staff. 

Then the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, 

What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 

And Balaam said, Because thou hast mocked me. I would there were a 
.^...-^g-Es--. sword in mine hand, for now I would kill thee. 
But the ass said to him, Am I not thine ass, upon 
which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine 
unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto 
thee? And he said, No. Then the Lord opened 
the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel stand- 
ing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand ' 
and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his 
face. And the angel said to him, Why hast thou 
smitten thine ass these three times? behold I 




M MEETS THE ANGEL. 




BALAAM. THE ISRAELITES AT THE JORDAN. 



161 



went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me; and 
the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had 
turned from me, surely ,«iiriH8£B I 8 



now also I would have slain 
thee, and saved her alive. 
And Balaam said to the 
angel, I have sinned; for I 
did not know that thou 
stoodest in the way against 
me. Now, therefore, if it 
displease thee, I will go 
back again. And the angel 
said to him, Go with the 
men: but only the word 
that I shall speak unto thee, 
that thou shalt speak. So 
Balaam went with the 
princes of Balak. 

When Balak heard that 
Balaam was coming, he 
went out to meet him, and 
asked him why he had not 
come sooner, to curse the 
Israelites and to receive his 
reward for so doing. And 
Balaam answered that he 




BALAK'S SACRIFICE. 



had no power either to curse or to bless the Israelites, but that he must 
speak what God should put in his mouth to say. 

On the next day, Balak took Balaam up on the high place of Baal 
from which he could see all the children of Israel as they lay encamped in 
the plain below. And at Balaam's command, the king built seven altars 
on which they sacrificed oxen and rams. Then Balaam went aside by 
himself to hear what the Lord might say to him. And the Lord met 
him, and told him what to say. Then he returned to Balak and to the 
princes of Moab, who were waiting by the altars. But instead of cursing 
the Israelites, Balaam blessed them, as the Lord had commanded him ; and 
he said, How shall I curse those whom God hath not cursed? How shall 
I defy whom God hath not defied? Balak was disappointed, but he 
thought that perhaps the next time Balaam might curse the Israelites. So 
he took him to the top of Mount Pisgah, and built seven altars there, and 
they sacrificed, as before. Balaam ought not to have gone with the king 
the second time, because the Lord had plainly told him that he should not 



l62 



BALAAM. THE ISRAELITES AT THE JORDAN. 




curse the children of Israel. But Balaam wanted the riches that the king 
had promised to him if he would curse them, and he wickedly thought 
M ^ a ^ iat God might change His mind. When 
Balaam went aside this time the Lord spoke 
sternly to him, saying, God is not a man, that 
He should lie, neither the son of man, that He 
should change His mind. Then Balaam went 
back to the altars, and told the king what God 
had said. 

And still Balak would not let Balaam go, 
but he took him on the top of another moun- 
mount pisgah. tain, Mount Peor. And there, as before, he 

built seven altars, and they sacrificed a bullock and a ram on each altar. 
But Balaam did not go off alone this time, for he saw that it pleased the 
Lord to bless Israel. And when he began to speak, the spirit of God 
came upon him, and for the third time he blessed the Israelites. 

Then Balak became very angry, and he com- 
manded Balaam to go home without any reward. 
But before Balaam started, he told the king that 
sometime the Israelites would come against his 
kingdom, and utterly destroy it. Then he rose 
up, and returned to his own home, and Balak 
also went his way. 

When Balaam saw that the Lord would not 
let him curse the children of Israel, he thought of 
another way to hurt them. He counselled the B ^ 
Moabites to invite the Israelites to come among 
them, and to sacrifice and feast with them, and to bow down to their gods. 
Now Balaam knew well that if the Israelites should do so, they would be 
^^ punished by God for disobeying the first and 

the second commandments. So the Moabites 
called the children of Israel to their sacrifices 
and feasts. And some of the people went over 
and ate with the Moabites, and worshipped 
their idols. Then the Lord sent a plague 
among them as a punishment for their sin, and 
twenty -four thousand of them died. 

After the plague, the Lord commanded 
Moses and Eleazar, the son of Aaron, to num- 
ber the people, from twenty years old and up- 
ward, as many as were able to go out to war. When Moses and Eleazar 
had done so, they found there were six hundred, one thousand, seven hun- 




AND BALAAM ON MOUNT 
PEOR. 




THE ISRAELITES GOING 
MOABITES. 



BALAAM. THE ISRAELITES AT THE JORDAN. 163 

dred thirty men. And of the Levites there were twenty three thousand 
males from a month old and upward. But among all these there was not 
a man of them whom Moses and Aaron had numbered in the wilderness 
Sinai, except Caleb and Joshua. For the Lord had said that all except 
these two good spies should die in the wilderness. 

The children of Israel were again drawing near to Canaan. And the 
Lord told Moses to go up on Mount Abarim or Pisgah, that he might see 
the promised land. And when he had seen it, he would die, as Aaron 
had died, because they had sinned in the desert of Zin, when the Lord 
brought water out of the rock. And Moses asked the Lord to name an- 
other man to lead the children of Israel. And the Lord commanded 
Moses to bless Joshua, and to make him the leader in his place. And 
Moses did so. 

Then the Lord commanded Moses to give the people laws about the 
sacrifices, feasts and vows. After these were given by Moses, the Lord 
commanded him to make war against the Moabites and Midianites, be- 
cause they had hurt the children of Israel by tempting them to disobey 
Him. And Moses sent a thousand of each tribe to the war. And they 
slew the kings, and all the people, except the female children. And Ba- 
laam, also, they slew with the sword. They burned their cities and all 
their castles. And the officers and captains came to Moses and said that 
they had counted their soldiers, and not one of their men had been killed 
in the battle. Therefore they brought all the jewelry, that they had 

taken as spoil from the Midianites, as an offer- 
ing to the Lord. And Moses and Eleazar the 
priest took the gold from them, and brought it 
into the tabernacle as a memorial for the chil- 
dren of Israel before the Lord. 

And the children of Israel, after wandering 
in the wilderness for forty years, until of all 
those who came up out of Egypt only Moses, 
Caleb and Joshua were yet living, at length 
came to the bank of the River Jordan. While 
wilderness. they were waiting there, the two tribes of Gad 

and Reuben came to Moses and Eleazar, and asked that the land of Gilead, 
where they then were, be given to them, for they had large flocks, and 
this was good pasture land, and they did not wish to cross over the Jordan 
into Canaan. And Moses replied to them, Shall your brethren go to war, 
and shall ye sit here? Why do you discourage the children of Israel from 
going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? But they 
said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little 
ones; but we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, 




164 



BALAAM. THE ISRAELITES AT THE JORDAN. 



until we have brought them unto their place. Then Moses told them 

that if they would do as they promised, and send armed men to help the 

Israelites drive out their enemies from Canaan, 

he would let them settle in the land of Gilead 

as they asked. And Moses told the elders of 

the tribes of Israel what he had done. So the 

tribes of Gad and Reuben, and with them half 

of the tribe of Manasseh settled in the land of 

Gilead. 

And the Lord spoke unto Moses in the 
plains of Moab, by the Jordan near Jericho, 
saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and 
say unto them, When ye have passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan, 
then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, 
and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and 
wholly tear down all their high places. And ye shall dwell in the land, 
for I have given you the land to possess it. And ye shall divide the land 

by lot for an inheritance 





among yoi 



families. 



and to the more ye shall 
give the more inherit- 
ance, and to the fewer ye 
shall give the less inher- 
itance; according to the 
tribes of your fathers ye 
shall inherit. But if ye 
will not drive out the in- 
habitants of the land 
from before you, then it 
shall come to pass, that 
those which ye let re- 
main of them shall be 
pricks in your eyes, and 
thorns in your sides, and 
shall vex you in the land 
wherein ye d w e 1 1. 
Moreover it shall come 
to pass, that I shall do 
unto you, as I thought to 

do unto them. 

Then the Lord named to Moses the borders of the land in which the 

Israelites were to live, and gave him the names of the princes of the tribes, 



FLEEING TO THE CITY OF REFUGE. 



THE HISTORY OF BALAAM. 165 

who were to divide the land. And the Lord said that the people should 
give the Levites forty-eight cities in which to live. Of these, six were to 
be cities of refuge, three on each side of the Jordan. If any one, either 
an Israelite or a stranger, accidently killed any person, he could find safety 
from his enemies in one of these six cities of refuge, until he should be 
tried bv the congregation. 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



THIS striking story teaches us, as its main truth, not to tamper with con- 
science. An angel adversary is this conscience flashing before us 
some great word of God, forbidding us to do what we are bent on 
doing. Well for us if at the sight of that glittering sword, we bow down 
and say, I have sinned. 

Balaam's endeavor was not to please God, but to please self without 
displeasing God. He wanted to pursue his own ends so far as was con- 
sistent with his duty. But he was not content with finding out what was 
God's will, he attempted to change it. His asking twice was tempting 
God. 

We learn from this story how vain are good wishes when separated 
with good actions. "Hell is paved with good intentions." We must live 
the life of the righteous if we would die the death of the righteous. 

Balaam was half converted, and therefore he was not converted at all. 
He would not wholly part with his besetting sin, and so it mastered and 
destroyed him. He would not serve God more than he thought he need, 
and so he ended in deadly opposition to God. He seduced others from 
the service of God, and so soon as he had finished his work of evil, lost his 
life and his soul. 

His besetting sin was that of covetousness. It was the greed for gold, 
which is one of the crying sins of our age. God ranks covetousness with the 
sin of idolatry, the most deadly of all sins. Beware of covetousness which 
is idolatry, needs to be written over the doors of multitudes of our business 
houses. 

They that will be rich (by honest or dishonest means) will surely fall 
into a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in 
destruction and perdition. For the love of money (the inordinate, selfish 
love) is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have 
erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 
But thou, O man of God, flee from these things. 



i66 



THE DEATH OF MOSES. 



The Death of Moses. 



Deuteronomy i-xxxiv. 1451 B. C. 




Moses told the children of Israel while 
were still on the bank of the Jordan, 



HEN 

they 

waiting to cross over into the promised land, a 
great many things about what they had done, 
and would still have to do. He showed them 
how the Lord had led and blessed them during 
the forty years of their wandering in the wil- 
derness. He told them how the Lord had 
helped them to win the victory over Og, the 
king of Bashan, and to destroy all the people 
of his kingdom. He told them over again the 
ten commandments which the Lord gave to 
them on Sinai. He commanded the people to 
remember the words which he spoke to them that day. They were to 
teach these words to their children, and they were to talk of them when 
sitting in their houses and when they were walking, in the evening and in 
the morning. When the Lord should give them great cities which they 
had not built, and houses full of good things which they had not filled, 
and wells which they had not dug, vineyards and olive trees which they 
had not planted, then they were to be careful not to forget the Lord who 
brought them out of the land of Egypt. 

Moses told them that they were to destroy all the people then living 
in Canaan; that they were not to live with them nor to worship their 
idols, but were to burn all their graven images. They were to remember 
how the Lord had cared for them during their long wandering: how He 
had fed them with manna; how their clothing had not grown old, nor 
their feet sore during the forty years. The Lord would bring them into 
a good land, of brooks of water and of fountains; a land of wheat, and 
barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil, and 
honey; a land where they should eat bread without scarceness, and where 



THE DEATH OF MOSES. 



167 




A LAND OF BARLEY. 




they should have everything they needed ; a land where they should find 

iron and copper in the stones and hills. When 
they should have all the food they wanted and 
large houses, when their herds and flocks 
should grow and increase in number, and when 
all that they had should be multiplied, then 
they were not to be proud and forget the Lord 
their God, for if they should forget Him, and 
worship other gods, He would destroy them 
as He had destroyed their enemies. But if 
they would love the Lord their God, and serve 
Him with all their heart and with all their soul, then the Lord would give 
them rain in due season, that they might gather in their corn, their wine, 
and their oil. And He would make the grass 
grow in the fields for their sheep and their cattle. 
The children of Israel were not to offer sacri- 
fices on the altars of the Canaanites, for these 
altars were to be destroyed with the idols. When 
they had driven out their enemies, and were at % 
peace, the Lord would choose a place where they 
were to set up the tabernacle. To this holy place 
the people were to bring their burnt offerings and 
their sacrifices. If any man should try to lead away one of them to the 
altars of other gods, that man should be stoned to death by the people. 
And when they had come into the promised land, each man was to 
take the first of all the grain and all the fruits 
that grew in his fields, and put them in a bas- 
ket, and bring them to the tabernacle. And 
the man should say to the priest at the taber- 
nacle, I have brought the first fruits of the 
land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. 
And the priest was to take the basket from the 
man's hand, and set it down before the altar of 
the Lord. The priests were to have these 
things for their own use. And besides these 
things, which were to be brought each year, the priests were to have the 
first of the fleece of the sheep, and a part of the oxen and sheep, that 
should be brought for sacrifice. 

Moses also told the people, that when they crossed the Jordan, they 
must set up great stones, and cover them with plaster. And on these 
stones they must write very plainly all the words of the law that God had 
given them. Then they must build an altar of whole stones there, and 
sacrifice to the Lord. 



WHEAT AND OIL. 




*3 -■:.---■. 

GRAPES AND POMEGRANATES. 



i68 



THE DEATH OF MOSES. 





Then Moses said that if the children of Israel would obey the 

He would set them 

above all the nations 

of the earth; He 

would bless their cities 

and fields, their grain 

and fruits, and their 

flocks and cattle. 

Their enemies would 

flee before them in 

fear. And all the 

nations of the earth 
should see that they were the chosen people of the Lord. But if 
would not listen to the voice of the Lord, then curses should come 
them. The Lord 
would send plagues 
and sickness among 
them. He would 
bring a fierce nation 
against them from 
other lands as swift 
as an eagle. This 
nation would fight 
against them and take 
their grain, sheep and 
cattle, and at last car- 
ry them, their wives 
and their children 
away to a far country, j 
where they would be 
sold as slaves, andl; 
would worship idols 
of wood and stone. 
But if they would re- 
pent, and obey the 
Lord again, then He 
would bring them out 
of their bondage, and 
bless them, and make 
them a large and 
happv nation. 

X J MOSES BLESSING THE CHILDREN OP ISRAEL. 



Lord, 



they 
upon 




THE DEATH OF MOSES. 



169 



At last Moses said to the children of Israel, I have set before you this 
day life and good, and death and evil, therefore choose life, that both you 
and your children may live. I am a hundred and twenty years old this day. 
The Lord hath said to me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. The 
Lord thy God will go over before thee, and He will destroy these nations 
from before thee, and thou shalt possess them ; tor the Lord thy God doth 
go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called 
Joshua to him, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a 
good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the 
Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause 
them to inherit it. And the Lord doth go before thee; He will be with 
thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee. 




MOSES VIEWING THE PROMISED LAND. 

And Moses wrote down these laws in a book, and gave it to the priests, 
the sons of Levi, to put in the side of the ark which they carried. And 
he commanded the priests and elders, at the end of every seven years, to 
gather all the people together, the men, the women, and children, and 
strangers, and to read these laws, so that all Israel might hear them, and 
learn to obey the Lord. Then Moses took Joshua with him into the tab- 
ernacle, and the Lord appeared to them in a pillar of cloud, and He made 
Joshua the leader of the people in the place of Moses. And the Lord 
commanded Moses to write down a song which the Lord gave him, and 
to teach it to the children of Israel, that they might sing it in praise of 
Him. And Moses did so. 

Then, after blessing the children of Israel, Moses went up from the 



170 THE DEATH OF MOSES. 

plains of Moab to the mountain of Nebo, up to the top of Pisgah, as the 
Lord had commanded. And the Lord showed him all the promised land 
of Gilead and Canaan, and said to him, This is the land which I sware 
unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob: I have caused thee to see it 
with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses died there, 
and the Lord buried him in a valley in the land of Moab ; but no man 
knows the place where he was buried. Moses was a hundred and twenty 
years old when he died. Even then he was as strong and his eyes were 
as bright as in his youth. And the children of Israel wept for Moses 
thirty days. 

And Joshua, the son of Nun, was filled with wisdom, for Moses had 
laid his hands upon him. And the people obeyed him, and did as the 
Lord commanded Moses. But they never again had a prophet with 
whom the Lord talked face to face as He did to Moses, or through whom 
the Lord worked such wonders as He did through Moses, in bringing 
them up out of the land of Egypt, and in leading them through the wil- 
derness to the promised land of Canaan. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



THIS glorious leader and law-giver of men must ascend Mount Nebo to 
die there. It seems sad to think Moses should not lead the children 
of Israel into the Promised Land. He was not permitted to do this 
because of that one act of rebellion in smiting the rock. It shows how 
one act may darken the whole of man's earthly hopes, how the subtle in- 
fluence of one act of disobedience may pervade with its gloom the whole 
of a man's history, and cause his holiest efforts to fail just when they 
seemed about to succeed. 

But Moses' life was not a failure. The purpose he wished to carry out 
was to be accomplished by Joshua. That life of his had inspired a man to 
catch his spirit and finish the work he had begun. There is thus a spirit- 
ual connection between men One age is joined by bonds of influence to 
another. Man is thus bound forever to future generations. 

God gave great honor to his chosen servant. The Lord buried him. 
He hid the grave of Moses that the people might have before them the 
man himself. It is an easier thing to revere the dust than to follow the 
example. The Lord buried him that the people might not be tempted to 
worship at the grave of their hero, but to lift up their hearts to the living 
God, whose commandments Moses had so faithfully taught them. 



JOSHUA SENDS SPIES. 



171 



Joshua Seeds Spies. 




jfoshua i-ii. 1451 B. C. 

OW, after the death of Moses, the Lord 

spake unto Joshua, the son of Nun, saying, 

Moses my servant is dead. Now, therefore, 

arise, go over this Jordan, thou and the 

children of Israel, unto the land which I 

do give to them. Be strong and of good 

courage, do not be afraid. Do all the 

things that are written in the book of the 

law that I have given you. Then you 

shall prosper and have good success. 

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the children of Israel to go 

through the host, or camps, of the people and tell them to prepare food to 

take with them, for in three days they were to pass over Jordan, and 

possess the land which God had given them. 

And Joshua sent two men to go as spies and look at the land and the 
city of Jericho, and to come back and tell him 
how it looked to them. And they went into 
the city of Jericho, which was in the land of 
Canaan, across the river Jordan. And they 
stopped at the house of a woman called Rahab. 
And the king of Jericho heard that these two 
men were at her house, and he sent word to 
bring them out, for they were spies. But the 
woman told them to get on the flat roof of her 
house. And then she took stalks of flax and put 
over them so they could not be seen. Then the king's servants, supposing 
they were gone toward the ford of the Jordan, went after them. As soon 
as these soldiers were gone, Rahab went up to the men, and said to them 
that she knew that the Lord had given the children of Israel the land, and 
that the people were afraid of them. For, she said, we have heard how 
the Lord dried up the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and 
how He gave you the victory over your enemies. Then she earnestly 
asked the men to promise that as she had shown kindness unto them, they 
would show kindness to her and to her family, and not let any of them 




172 



THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN AND THE SIEGE OF JERICHO. 



be put to death when the children of Israel should come into the city. 
And the men told her that they would do what she asked, if she would 

not let any one know 

who they were. Then 

they gave her a large 

scarlet thread, and told 

her to bind it in the 

window, so it could be 

seen by the children 

of Israel when they 

entered Jericho. And 

then no harm should 
come to any one who was in the house. 

Then she took a strong cord and tied it in the window of her house, 
which was built on the wall of the city. Then she let down the two men 
outside of the wall, for they did not dare go through the gates, because 
they were watched by the king's soldiers. So the two men fled to the 
mountain which was near the city, and there they hid for three days. Al- 
though the messengers of the king hunted for them, they could not find 
them. Then when their pursuers had returned to the city, the two men 
crossed over the river Jordan again, and told Joshua all they had seen, and 





THE BORDERS OF JERICHO. 



RAHAB AND THE SPIES. 



heard, and done. 



The Crossing of the Jordan and 

of Jericho. 



the Siege 



Joshua iii-iv. 1451 B. C. 




OW after this report of the spies, Joshua was 
up early in the morning and the people with 
him, and came to the banks of the Jordan. 
And Joshua told the people to make them- 
selves ready, for the Lord would do wonders 
for them the next day. And he told them 
that they were to cross over the Jordan, and 
he showed them how they were to go over. 
The priests were to take the ark of the cov- 
enant, which was carried by long poles put 
through rings on its sides, and go with it 
before the people. As soon as their feet should stand on the brink of the 
river, the waters would cease to flow, and would stand up like a wall on 
their right hand. Then they were to stand in the middle of the dry river 



■_ T -__^ r . ..... 




THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN AND THE SIEGE OF JERICHO. 177 




CROSSING THE JORDAN. 



bed, and the people were to go by them on the other side. Just as Joshua 

said, it came to pass. On the next day the 
priests bore the ark in front of the children of 
Israel. As soon as the feet of the priests 
touched the river's brim, the waters stood up 
like a wide and high rock. Then the priests 
went into the middle of the dry river bed, and 
stood there with the ark until all the people 
had crossed over. Forty thousand armed men 
of the children of Reuben, and of Gad, and 
half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over the 
river, also, to help their children fight their enemies as they had promised 
Moses they would do. Then, when all the people had passed over, the 
priests with the ark came out from the river bed. As soon as they were 
on the other side, the great river rolled on once more. Then Joshua com- 
manded twelve large stones, which had been 
taken out of the bed of the river, to be set up 
to mark the place where the people entered the 
land of Canaan. 

And the children of Israel encamped in 
Gilgal, which was in the plains of Jericho. 
Then the manna, with which they had been fed 
for forty years, stopped coming down from 
heaven, for the people found plenty of corn, 
which they parched and ate for food. Besides gilgal. 

this, they had a great deal of fruit, which the land of Canaan produced. 

And as Joshua was looking at the great high walls of Jericho, outside 
of the camp, he saw a man standing before him, with a sword in his hand. 

And Joshua went to him and said, Art thou for 
us or for our enemies? And the man said, Nay, 
but as captain of the Lord's host (cr army) am I 
come. And Joshua fell on his face and wor- 
shipped him, saying, What saith my Lord unto 
his servant. For this was the same Divine Being 
who had appeared to Abraham at his tent, and 
to Lot in Sodom, and to Jacob at Peniel, and to 
Moses at the burning bush. And He said to 
'Joshua, Loose thy shoes from off thy feet, for the 
place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. Then the Lord 
told Joshua how he was to take Jericho. Although the city had high 
walls around it, and the gates were all shut fast, the children of Israel 





THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST. 



178 THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN AND THE SIEGE OF JERICHO. 




THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORDS HOST. 



were to go into it. 



And 

this was the way to go in- 
to the city, Joshua and all 

the soldiers among the peo- 
ple were to walk round the 

city once every day for six 

days, carrying the ark with 

them. And seven priests 

were to bear before the ark 

seven trumpets, made of 

rams' horns. On the sev- 
enth day they were to walk 

around the city seven times, 

and the priests were to 

blow the trumpets. And 

when the people should 

hear a long blast on the 

trumpets, they all were to 

give a great shout. And 

then the wall of the city 

would fall down flat, and the people were to go up into the city. 

Then the people did as 
the Lord had commanded. 
On each of the six days 
they marched round the 
city once. First came the 
armed men, then the priests 
that blew on the trumpets, 
followed by the ark, and 
behind it all the people of 
Israel. And no one of 
them except the priests 
made a sound, or spoke a 
word. But on the seventh 
day they rose early in the 
morning, and marched 
around the city seven times. 
At the seventh time Joshua 
said to the people, Shout, 
for the Lord hath given 
you the city. And the city 

THE PALL OF JERICHO. J J J 





SAMSON. 



THE SIN OF ACHAN. 



shall be destroyed : only Rahab and all that are with her in the house 
shall live, because she hid the spies. But all the silver and gold, and ves- 
sels of brass and iron, are to be given to the Lord. 

So the people shouted when they heard the sound of the trumpets. 
And as the shout went up, the great wall of Jericho fell down flat. Then 
the men went up into the city, and took it. They put to death all the peo- 
ple and all the animals in the city, except Rahab and those with her. And 
they burnt the city and all that was in it. But the gold and silver, and the 
vessels of brass and of iron, were put in the treasury of the house of the 
Lord. So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame went through all the 
country. 



The Sin of Achah. 




jfoshua vii-ix. B. C. 1431. 

FTER the fall of Jericho, Joshua sent spies 
to another city of Canaan, called Ai. They 
came back, and told him that there were only 
a few of the enemy in Ai; they said that 
about two or three thousand men could easily 
take the city-. So Joshua sent up only three 
thousand men. But when they met the men 
of Ai in battle, they became afraid and fled. 
And about thirty-six ot them were killed. 
Then Joshua and the elders lost heart. 

They bowed down before the ark until evening. For they feared that, 

when the Canaanites should hear how the Israelites had fled before the 

men of Ai, the Canaanites would come 

against them from all sides and kill them. 

But the Lord told Joshua that the children 

of Israel were not able to take Ai, because 

one of their number had sinned. This man 

had not given all the gold and silver that he 

had taken in Jericho, to the treasury of the 

Lord. He had kept it for his own use. 

The Lord said, he and all that belonged to 

him must be put to death. If this were not 

done, the Israelites would not be able to stand before their enemies, but 

would be driven back by them. 

So, on the next morning, Joshua did as the Lord commanded. He 

called together the children of Israel. Then the Lord showed him the 




THE SIN OF ACHAN. 



man who had sinned. His name was Achan. Joshua told him to confess 
what he had done. Then Achan said that he had taken gold and silver 
and fine clothing from Jer- 
icho, and had hidden them 
in the ground under his 
tent. So Joshua sent mes 



they 
silver 



-s to his tent. And 
found the gold and 



brought 




ACHAN CONFESSING HIS SIN. 



and clothing, and 
them to Joshua, 

and laid them out before 

the Lord. Then Joshua 

and the people took Achan, 

his sons and daughters, and 

all that he had, and brought 

them into a valley. And 

there the people stoned 

them, and then burned them 

to death. Over Achan's 

body they raised a great 

heap of stones. And the 

name of the valley was 

called Achor, which means 

trouble. 

Then after Achan had been punished for his sin, the Lord said to 

Joshua, Fear not; take all the people of war with thee' and go up to Ai, 

for I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his 

city, and his land. And thou shalt do to Ai 
and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and 
her king; but this time the people shall keep 
the gold and silver and the cattle for them- 
selves. 

So Joshua arose, and all the people of 
war with him, to go up against Ai. And 
Joshua chose out thirty thousand brave 
men, and sent them by night around behind 
the city. He told them to lie in wait there, 

where the people of Ai could not see them. And that night he led the 

rest of the army into the valley near Ai. Early in the morning, when 

the king of Ai woke, he saw the children of Israel in their tents near the 

city. Then he called together his army, and marched out against them. 




THE DESTRUCTION OF AI. 



THE SIN OF ACHAN, 



183 



But they made him think they were very much afraid of him, and they 
began to run away towards the wilderness. Then all the people of Ai 
went out of the city to follow the Israelites. When they had gone, those 
men of Israel who had been hiding behind Ai, ran into the city, and set it 
on fire. Then they did not know -which way to flee, for Joshua and his 
men had turned, and were coming against them in front; and the men 
who had set the city on fire were behind them. So they were all put to 




THE CAPTAIN OF AI. 

death. But the gold and silver, and the cattle, that had belonged to the 
people of Ai, the children of Israel kept for their own use, as the Lord 
had commanded. 

Then Joshua built an altar of whole stones on Mount Ebal. And on 
these stones he wrote all the laws that Moses had given to the children of 
Israel from the Lord. And afterward he read all the laws aloud to the 
people, as Moses had commanded to be done. 






184 JOSHUA DIVIDES CANAAN AMONG THE TRIBES. HIS DEATH. 



Joshua Divides Canaan Among the 

His Death. 



Tribes. 



yoshua ix-xxiv. 1451-1427 B. C. 







ND there was not far from Ai another city, 
called Gibeon. When the people, who 
lived there, heard what Joshua had done to 
Jericho and to Ai, they were afraid he 
would kill them, also. But they thought 
that if they could make Joshua believe they 
lived far away, he might promise to spare 
them. So some of them came as messengers 
to him. They wore old clothes and worn 
out shoes; they carried old sacks and old 
torn wine bottles on the backs of their asses ; 
and their bread was dry and mouldy. They said to Joshua that they had 
come from a far country to make peace with him ; they had heard how 
strong the children of Israel were, and they wanted to be their friends. 
They showed Joshua their old wine bottles and their mouldy bread, and 
they told him that these were all new when they had started from their 
homes, but that they had grown old because of the long journey. 

Then Joshua and the elders believed their story, and made peace with 
them, and promised to let them live. But after three days the people of 
Israel learned the truth, that Gibeon was near by. Then they were angry, 
because the people of Gibeon had told a lie to them. But Joshua and the 
elders would not kill them, because they promised to let them live. Still, 
as a punishment for their sin, Joshua told them they would always have to 
cut the wood and draw the water for the tabernacle. 

After this, five kings of the Amorites came together against the people 
of Gibeon, because they had made peace with the Israelites. Then the 
men of Gibeon sent quickly to Joshua for help. And the Lord told Josh- 
ua to go with all his men of war; He said that He would aid them. So 
Joshua led his army to Gibeon. Then they went out against the armies 
of the five kings, and drove them back. As they fled, the Lord made 
great hailstones fall on them, so that more of them were killed by the 
hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites. But while the Israelites 
were still following them, night began to come on. Joshua feared the 
darkness would put an end to the killing of the enemy. So he command- 
ed the sun and moon to stand still, that the Israelites might see to finish 
the fight. Then the Lord made the sun and moon stand still about a day. 
And a day like that there never was before, and there never has been 




JOSHUA COMMANDING THE SUN TO STAND STILL. 



185 



l86 JOSHUA DIVIDES CANAAN AMONG THE TRIBES. HIS DEATH. 

since. So Joshua killed all of the enemy but a few, who shut themselves 
up in walled cities. And he found the five kings hidden in a cave, and he 
put them to death, also. 

At this time Joshua fought with many other kings, and he put them 
and all their people to death, but he burned none of their cities, except 
Hazor. And all the gold and silver, and the cattle of these cities the chil- 
dren of Israel took for themselves. But after fighting for five years, they 
grew weary and rested, although they had not yet made all of Canaan 
their own. Joshua was growing old. He had not the strength to lead 
them longer in war. Then the Lord told Joshua what land had not yet 
been taken, and He commanded him to divide all the land by lot among 
the nine tribes, and the half tribe. The other two tribes and half tribe had 
their land already, which Moses had given to them before the people had 
crossed the Jordan. 

Then Joshua gave land to the tribes of Judah and Ephraim, and to the 
half tribe of Manasseh. But he did not know enough about the rest of 
the land to divide it up, for the Israelites had not yet been over it. Now 
the people were gathered together at Shiloh, where they had set up the 
tabernacle. And Joshua commanded each of the seven tribes that were 
still without land to choose three men from their number. These twenty- 
one men were to go as spies through the land. They were to write down 
in a book what they saw, and then come again to Joshua. Then they 
were to choose by lot the land that they liked best for their tribes. 

So the spies were sent, as Joshua had commanded. And when they 
had come back, he cast lots for them before the Lord. And then he gave 
to each tribe, in the order of its lot, the land 
that its spies chose. After this, the people 
gave Joshua a city in Mount Ephraim, for 
which he had asked them, according to the 
word of the Lord. Then they named the 
six cities of refuge, three on each side of the 
Jordan, in which any one who killed another 
without meaning to do so, might find safety 
until he could be tried by the people. These 

six cities with forty-two others were given THE TWO AND A HALP T . 
to the Levites to dwell in, as they had no BACK# 

land given to them. 

Then Joshua called to him the tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half 
tribe of Manasseh, and told them that they had faithfully kept the prom- 
ise they had made to Moses, when he had given them the land of Gilead 
east of the Jordan. And now that they had helped the rest of the children 
of Israel to clear Canaan of their enemies, they might go back to their 




JOSHUA DIVIDES CANAAN AMONG THE TRIBES. HIS DEATH. 



wives and children whom they had left on the other side of the Jordan. 
Joshua told them not to forget the Lord, but to love and serve him with 
all their heart. Then he blessed them, and sent them away with all the 
gold and silver, and brass and iron, with the fine clothing and the cattle 
they had taken in war. And he told them to divide their riches with their 
brethren. 

Then they went away to their homes. And when they had come to 
the bank of the Jordan, they built a great altar there, not that they might 
offer sacrifices, for the Lord had commanded that sacrifices should be 

offered in one place only, 
and that place was Shiloh; 
but they built it that it 
might stand there as a sign 
in the time to come of their 
love for the Lord and for 
rest of the Israelites. But 
the other tribes did not 
know why the altar had 
been built, and when they 
heard of it, they were very 
angry, and wanted to war 
against these two tribes and 
half tribe. So they sent 
Phinehas,the son of Eleazar 
the priest, and with him a 
prince from each tribe, to 
ask why the altar had been 
built. And when they 
heard that the tribes of Gad 
Joshua talking to the people in his old age. and Reuben and the half 

tribe of Manasseh had no thought of disobeying the Lord, but were only 
seeking to praise Him and to bind the other Israelites closer to themselves, 
then their anger melted away, and they were pleased that the altar had 
been built. And the altar was called Ed, which means a witness ; for it 
was a witness between them that the Lord is God. 

A long time after the Lord had given rest to the children of Israel 
from their enemies, Joshua called the people together to bless them, for he 
was old, and he knew he must soon die. He brought before their minds 
what the Lord had done for them. He told them to take good heed that 
they always love the Lord, and asked them to promise that they would 
love and serve Him. Then the people said, We will serve the Lord. 
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, as a cove- 




JOSHUA DIVIDES CANAAN AMONG THE TRIBES. HIS DEATH. 



nant with the people ; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under 

an oak, that was 

near the taber- 

nacle. And 

Joshua said to 

the people that 

the stone should 

be a witness of 

the words the 

Lord had spoken 

to them, and of 

their promise to 

serve Him. 

Then Joshua let 

the people go to 

their own 

homes. 

Not long af- 
ter these things 
happened, Josh- 
ua died at the 
age of one hun- 
dred ten years. 
And the people 
buried him near 
his city in Mount 
Ephraim. 

And the 

bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, 
they buried in Shechem, as their forefathers had promised Joseph would 
be done; for Shechem had belonged to Joseph's father, Jacob, more 
than three hundred years before. And Aaron's son, Eleazar the high 
priest, died, and was also buried in Mount Ephraim 




THE GREAT STONE RAISED UNDER AN OAK. 



THE STORY OF JOSHUA. 189 

For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



GOD buries His workmen but carries on His work. Moses, the meek 
man, fell through a want of meekness. He must be content with a 
view of the promised land. Joshua now leads the hosts of Israel into 
Canaan. The first lesson his life teaches us, is that we must be courage- 
ous. If we have gifts we must use them. 

"Know thyself" — the maxim of the ancients has great wisdom in it. 
We must know what our real capacity is, by doing that which we are cap- 
able of accomplishing. We can know what we can do, only by the doing. 

No one must be forgetful of his christian privileges, of his christian 
name, of his christian freedom. The keynote of Joshua's life is courage; 
physical courage, intellectual courage, moral courage. It is the truth of 
God that makes us strong and brave. God is the strength of our heart 
and our portion forever. It is one of the striking lessons in this story to 
see how God in His manifestations to men accommodates Himself to their 
needs and conditions. He manifested Himself to Abraham a wanderer 
and a sojourner, as a wayfaring Man. To Jacob just as he was expecting 
to meet Esau as an enemy, He is the Comforter. To Joshua the soldier, 
He is the Captain of the Lord's host. Joshua had to do the work of ex- 
terminating the Canaanites because their iniquity was full. God knew it 
would be better for mankind to have them removed. Joshua was there- 
fore God's valiant police officers to effect this needed task. He was not 
cruel or merciless. He was the executioner under Divine command. 
God who gave life had the right to take it away. 

Rahab comes before us as a singular character. She was artful, she 
was brave, she was noble, she was mean. But her heart was trembling 
away towards the star that should come out of Jacob, and the scepter that 
would arise out of Israel. God uses the most unlikely agents very often 
for carrying out His designs. And surely there is a diviner duty for men 
and women, than like the wind to chase the withered leaves of a blighted 
life along our streets, from our church doors. There is a more manly and 
womanly work to do than to trample on the faded flowers of our human- 
ity. This ancestress of our Divine Lord pleads in the story of her service 
to the spies, for the principles of pity, purity, equality and power embodied 
in the White Cross movement of the age. 

Joshua in brave and faithful words, just before his approaching God, 
tells the assembled people that national prosperity and national safety de- 
pend upon national religion. A Godless and Christless people cannot long 
continue to enjoy temporal blessings even. Happy is that people whose 
God is the Lord. Unhappy must be that nation that will not serve and 
obey God. Disorder, misrule, strife and decay will surely come to it. 
Joshua led the people forward, and died in triumph and peace in a good 
old age. 

Joshua is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, as regards his name, for 
Joshua is in Hebrew what Jesus is in Greek. 

Joshua like Christ was chosen not by the will of men, but by the will 
of God. 



190 



THE LORD CHOOSES JUDGES TO RULE OVER THE PEOPLE. 



The Lord Chooses Judges To Rule Oyer the 

People. 




yudges i-v. 1 42 5- 1 256 B. C. 

FTER the death of Joshua, the children of 
Israel went on fighting the Canaanites. But 
they did not drive them all out as the Lord 
had commanded. Instead of putting them 
to death, the Israelites made them slaves. 
Then an angel of the Lord came to the peo- 
ple, and told them they had not obeyed Him. 
He said that since they had not kept their 
promise to serve Him, He could no longer 
help them to drive out their enemies. But 
He said that the Canaanites would be as 
thorns in their sides, and would lead the people to worship idols. And 
when the people heard these words, they wept. And they called that 
place Bochim, which means weepers. 

After a few years all that the Lord had said came true. The people 
did forsake the Lord, and serve heathen gods, whose names were 
Baal and Ashtaroth. Then the Lord suffered the Canaanites to make 
them their slaves. But when the people were sorry for their sins, the 
Lord again helped them to win in their wars against the Canaanites, and 
set up judges to rule over them. But whenever a judge died, then the 
people began to sin again, and bow down to idols. And the Lord gave 
them fifteen judges in all, and the people were ruled by them for more 
than three hundred years. 

And the first judge was Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger 
brother. He went to war against the king of Mesopotamia, who had 
made the Israelites his servants for eight years; and he freed them from 
their bondage. After this the land had rest from war for forty years. 
Then Othniel died. 



/ 




THE LORD CHOOSES JUDGES TO RULE OVER THE PEOPLE. 191 

After his death the people did wrong again. And Eglon, the king of 
Moab, came against them, and made them his servants. And they served 
him eighteen years. But when they cried to the Lord, He made as judge 

over them Ehud, one of the tribe of Benja- 
min. By him they sent a gift to king Eglon. 
Now Ehud was left-handed. Before he went 
to the king he hid a dagger under his clothing 
on the right side. Then he went to the king 
in his summer parlor, and said to him, I have 
a message from God unto thee. And Ehud 
put forth his left hand, and took the dagger 
from his right side and thrust it into the 
king's body. 

THE ISRAELITES DRIVING OUT THE __, „ . , r 1 1 , ,1 1 

canaanites. Then Ehud went forth through the porch, 

and shut the doors of the parlor upon the dead king, and locked them. 
When Ehud had gone out, the king's servants came; and when they 
saw that the doors of the parlor were locked, they thought that the king 
wished to be alone. So they waited as long as they dared, and then took 
a key and opened the doors ; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead 
upon the earth. Meanwhile Ehud made his escape, and fled beyond their 
reach, to the mountain of Ephraim. There he blew a trumpet, and called 
the people of Israel together, for war. He told them to follow him, and 
said, The Lord has delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hand. 
And they went down after him, and slew about ten thousand men, all 
strong, brave soldiers ; and they let not one of the Moabites get away from 
them. After this the Israelites had rest from war for eighty years. 

After Ehud, Shamgar was judge over Israel. He slew six hundred of 
the Philistines, those bitter enemies of the Israelites, with an oxgoad. 
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, when 
Ehud was dead. Then the Lord let Jabin, king of Canaan, come against 
them, and take them captive. The captain of his host was Sisera. And 
the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred char- 
iots of iron, and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. 
About this time, a woman named Deborah, was made judge of Israel. 
She was the wife of Lapidoth. She lived under a palm tree, near 
Ramah. 

And Deborah sent for a man named Barak, and told him that the Lord 
God of Israel commanded him to take ten thousand men, and go to war 
with Sisera, the captain of king Jabin's army. But Barak said he would 
not go unless Deborah would go with him. Then Deborah said, I will 
surely go, but the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; 
for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Deborah was a 



192 THE LORD CHOOSES JUDGES TO RULE OVER THE PEOPLE. 



prophetess, therefore she could foretell what would happen. So Deborah 

went with Barak and ten thousand soldiers, to fight against Sisera with 

his nine hundred 

iron chariots, and 

all the people 

that were with 

him. 

And Deborah 
said to Barak, 
Up, for this is 
the day in which 
the Lord hath 
delivered Sisera 
into thine hand. 
So Barak fought 
against Sisera, 
and the Lord 
gave the Israel- 
ites the victory, 
and Sisera got 
down out of his 
chariot and fled 
away on his feet. 
Barak followed 
after S i s e r a's 
army with his 
ten thousand 
men, and put 
them all to death. 

But Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because 
he thought she was friendly to him. And Jael met him kindly, and gave 
him the shelter of her tent. He said to her, give me, I pray thee, a little 
water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and 
gave him drink. Then he told her to stand in the door of her tent, and if 
any one came and asked if there was a man there, to say, No. 

Sisera was very weary, and he fell soundly asleep. Then Jael, who 
was friendly to Israel, took a large nail of the tent and a hammer, and 
went softly up to him and drove the nail into his temples, so that he died. 
When Barak came soon afterwards, Jael met him outside of the tent, and 
said, Come and I will show you the one you seek. And when he looked, 
behold Sisera lay dead with the nail in his temples. So God conquered 
Jabin that day, but Barak did not have the glory as Deborah had said ; for 




SISEKA MEETING JAEL AT THE TENT. 



GIDEON AND THE MIDIANITES. 



r 93 



a woman's hand drove the nail which killed Sisera, the captain of king 
Jabin's host. After this victory, Deborah and Barak sang a song of 
thanksgiving and praise to God. Then the land of Israel had rest from 
war for forty years. 



GlDEOH AMD THE MIDIANITES. 




yudges vi-ix. 1256 B. C. 

FTER this God gave the children of Israel 
rest from war for forty years. But they 
began to do evil in the sight of the Lord, 
and He gave them into the power of the 
Midianites for seven years. These Mid- 
ianites took the crops which the Israelites 
had sowed, also their sheep and oxen and 
goats, so that they had scarcely anything to 
eat. The Midianites came like a swarm of 
grasshoppers on the green fields, and left 
nothing but the dry ground when they 
went away. The children of Israel had to flee from their homes, and hide 
in dens and caves of the rocks. Then they were sorry for their sins, and 
cried unto the Lord to save them. And God, who always hears the cry 
of those who truly come to Him for pardon, promised through a prophet 
whom He had sent to warn them of their sins, that He would grant their 
prayer. 

Now there was in Ophrah, a man by the name of Gideon, who was 
threshing out wheat in a place where the 
Midianites could not see him nor hear him. 
And there came to him the angel of the 
Lord, or the Lord in the form of an angel, 
and said to him, The Lord is with thee, thou 
mighty man of valor. And Gideon then 
told the Lord, how God had forsaken the 
children of Israel, and given them over to 
the Midianites. And the Lord commanded 
Gideon to go and save the children of Israel 
from their enemies, because He had sent him. 

And Gideon said, O my Lord, how shall I save Israel? behold my 
family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And 
the Lord said, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt destroy the Mid- 
ianites as though they were but one man. And Gideon said, Do not go 






silll 



194 



GIDEON AND THE MIDI ANITES. 



away until I can bring thee an offering. And the Lord said, I will wait 
until thou shalt come again. 

Then Gideon went and killed a kid, and roasted it, and made unleav- 
ened bread. And he made 
some broth. And he 
brought it all to Him. And 
the Lord told him to take 
meat out of the basket, and 
the unleavened cakes, and 
lay them upon the rock near 
them, and to pour out the 
broth. And Gideon did so. 

Then the Lord touched 
the flesh and the cakes with 
the end of a staff that was 
in his hand; and fire came 
up out of the rock, and 
burnt up the flesh and the 
cakes. And then the Lord 
went away out of Gideon's 
sight. Then Gideon knew 
that he had seen the Lord 
face to face, and he was 
afraid. Then the Lord 
came to him and told him not to fear, for he should live. And Gideon 
built an altar there. 

Then the Midianites and the Amalekites, a great army of them, 
camped in the valley of Jezreel. And Gideon, through the spirit of the 
Lord, blew a trumpet, and sent messengers and gathered the children of 
Israel together to fight against them. 

And Gideon said to the Lord, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand as 
thou hast said, wilt thou not work a miracle for me? I will put a fleece 
of wool on the floor, and if it shall be dry all round it, and dew shall be 
only on the fleece, then I shall know that thou wilt save Israel by mine 
hand, as thou hast said. 

The Lord in some way told Gideon that He would work the miracle. 
So Gideon put the fleece of wool on the floor, and early in the morning 
he took the fleece in his hand and found it so full of dew, that he wrung 
out of it a bowl of water. But all around, the ground was dry. 

Then Gideon asked the Lord not to be angry with him, but he would 
like one more miracle wrought. He would like to have the fleece dry on 
the floor, and all around it to be wet with the dew. So the Lord let him 




IIDEON EXAMINING THE FLEECE. 



GIDEON AND THE MIDIANITES. x 95 

put the fleece out again on the floor, and lo, in the morning the fleece was 
dry, and the dew was on the ground about it. Then Gideon knew that 
the Lord would do as He had said, and give him the victory over the Mid- 
ianites. 

Then Gideon, and all the fighting men of Israel, rose up early in the 
morning, and marched toward the Midianites. And the Lord said to Gid- 
eon, there are too many men with thee in the army. They will say if 
they gain the victory, our own hands have saved us. And God told Gid- 
eon to say to the army, that if any of them were fearful and afraid, they 
might go back at once to their homes. Twenty-two thousand of them 
went away, and ten thousand men were left. 

And God said to Gideon, There are yet too many. Bring the men 
down to the water, and I will try them for thee. And those that I say 
shall go with thee shall be thy army. So Gideon brought them down to 
the water. And as they were very thirsty they began to drink. Some of 
them got down on their knees to drink, putting their mouths into the wa- 
ter. Others put their hands in the water, and then drank the water out of 
the hollow of their hands. Three hundred men drank the water by put- 
ting their hands to their mouths. These were the ones the Lord com- 
manded Gideon to take with him, as the Lord knew they were the best 
men to fight. All the rest were sent back to their homes. 

Then the Lord told Gideon to go with his three hundred men that 
same night against the army of the Midianites, for He would give them 
into his hands. But the Lord said to him, that if he was afraid to go 
against them, he could go quietly with his servant Phurah to the camp of 
the Midianites, and listen in the darkness to what the soldiers might be 
saying. And when he should have heard what was said, his heart and his 
hand w T ould be strong to fight. So Gideon went down with his servant. 
Now the Midianites and their friends, the soldiers of the Amalekites, lay 
along in the valley, where they were encamped, like grasshoppers, as there 
was such a large number of them, and their camels were in number, 
as the sands of the sea 

As Gideon was going gently along, he heard a Midianite soldier telling 
a fellow soldier a dream. He said, In my dream I saw a cake of barley 
bread tumbled into the army of Midian, and it came into a tent, and smote 
it so that it fell, and overturned it, and the tent lay all in a heap on the 
ground. And the soldier to whom he told the dream, said to him, Why, 
this is nothing else but the sword of Gideon, for the Lord hath given 
Midian and all the army into Gideon's hand. 

When Gideon heard this, he thanked the Lord in his heart, and went 
quickly back to his three hundred men and said, Arise, for the Lord hath 
given into your hand the armv of Midian. And he divided the three hun- 



196 



GIDEON AND THE MIDIANITES. 



dred men into three companies. And he put a trumpet in each man's 
hand, and gave him an empty earthen pitcher, and a lighted torch inside 
the pitcher. And Gideon told them to go around the camp of the Midian- 
ites, and to wait there until he gave them a sign what to do. He -^aid, 
when I blow my trumpet, and those that are with me blow theirs, then 
every one of you must blow your trumpets and shout, The sword of the 
Lord and of Gideon. And 
you must then break your 
pitchers and let your torches 
flash out. So, when the 
time came, Gideon blew his 
trumpet, and then all the 
three hundred men did the 
same. And they shouted, 
The sword of the Lord and 
of Gideon. And they broke 
the pitchers and waved the 
flaming torches. And the 
Midianites, thinking that a 
great army had come upon 
them, were full of fear and 
ran away. And not know- 
ing each other in the con- 
fusion, they fought one 
with another, and a great 
number were killed. And 

Gideon followed after them "the swokd of the lord and of gudeon." 

with his three hundred men, and he sent messengers to the children of Is- 
rael in different parts of the land, to come and help him drive out the Mid- 
ianites from the country. And he went on after the two kings of the 
Midianites across the Jordan, who with fifteen thousand men were running 
away as fast as they could. And Gideon overtook them, and made them 
captives. And so the Midianites were defeated. Then Gideon, although 
he did not wish it, was made judge over Israel. And he ruled for forty 
years. And God was with him, and gave him many sons and daughters. 
At last he died in a good old age, and was buried at Ophrah in the sepul- 
chre of his father Joash. 




ABIMELECH AND JEPHTHAH. x 97 

Abimelech ahd Jephthah. 




Judges ix-xii. 120Q-1112 B. C. 

FTER Gideon's death, Abimelech his son 
went to Shechem, where his mother's 
brethren lived, and urged the people there 
to make him king. The children of Is- 
rael had already forgotten so quickly 
what the Lord had done for them in 
helping them get rid of their enemies on 
every side; and they had turned again to 
the worship of Baal. These people of 
Shechem then granted the request of 
Abimelech, and said they would follow 
him. And they gave him seventy pieces of silver with which he hired 
vain and foolish men to go with him. And he went to his father's rela- 
tives, and killed seventy of them. His youngest brother, Jotham, hid him- 
self ; so he was the only one of the family who was saved alive. 

Then the men of Shechem made Abimelech king. When Jotham 
heard of it he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried out 
aloud, so all the men of Shechem could hear, and told them that they 
would be followed with punishment because they had so wickedly killed 
his father's family. And then he ran away to another city to hide from 
the anger of his brother Abimelech. 

When Abimelech had been king three years, God let an evil spirit 
come between him and the men of Shechem, who had been his friends. 
And they began to be false to him, and turned to be his enemies. They 
set robbers to watch for him in the mountains, and they made a feast in 
the temple of their heathen god, and cursed Abimelech. They followed a 
man named Gaal, who stirred them up against Abimelech still more. At 
last he dared him to come out with his army and fight. 

And when Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard of Gaal's words, he was 
very angry; and he sent messengers to Abimelech privately, to tell him of 
his danger, and to say that Gaal was in the city of Shechem with his 
friends, and that they were fortifying the city against him. He also said 
that he must get right up in the night, and the men with him, and they 
must lie in wait in the field. And then early in the morning they must 
get up near to the city. And when Gaal, and the people with him, came 
out against him, he was to do whatever he thought best. 

So Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, by night, 
and went out into the fields in four companies. And Gaal went out and 



ABIMELECH AND JEPHTHAH. 



stood in the city gate in the morning, and saw them coming towards the 
city. And he took his men, and went out and fought with Abimelech 
and his men. And Abimelech chased him, and Gaal fled before him, and 
many were killed and wounded. 

The next day the people of the city came out again. And Abimelech 
divided his men into three companies: and when the people had come 
out far enough from the gate of the city, Abimelech, and one of the com- 
panies rushed forward, and stood in the gate, and the other two companies 
ran upon all the people that were in the fields and killed them. And 
Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city 
and slew the people inside of it, and beat down the city, and sowed it with 
salt. 

But some of the men of the city fled into the house of their heathen 
god. And Abimelech went up into Mount Zalmon, and took an axe 
in his hand and cut down a bough from a tree, and laid it on his shoulder, 
and said to the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, 
make haste, and do as I have done. And all the people cut down a 
bough and followed Abimelech and put the boughs against the house 
of the idol, and then set them on fire. So the house was burned and all the 
people in it, about a thousand men and women. 

Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and fought against the people there, 
and took the city. But there was a strong tower in the city, and here a 




DEATH OF ABIMELECH. 



great many people shut themselves in, and went up to its top. And 
Abimelech came to the tower, and tried to burn it with fire. But a certain 
woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head from the top of 



ABIMELECH AND JEPHTHAH. 





the tower, and broke his skull. Then he called 
hastily to the young man who was his armor 
bearer, and said to him, Draw thy sword and kill 
me, that men may not say of me, A woman 
killed him. Then his armor bearer obeyed him, 
and Abimelech died. And when the men of 
Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each went 
back to his own home. Thus God brought pun- 
ishment upon Abimelech for his cruelty to his I 
father's family, and upon the men of Shechem, 
for their evil work in helping him do the wicked deed. 

And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel, Tola, the son of 
Puah, of the tribe of Issachar; and he lived in Mount Ephraim. And he 
judged Israel twenty-two years, and died and was buried in Shamir. 

After him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty-two years. 
He had thirty sons that rode on thirty colts, and they had thirty cities. 
And Jair died, and w^as buried in Camon. 

And the children of Israel did evil again, in the sight of the Lord, and 
served Balaam and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and other heathen 

idols. And the Lord was very much grieved 
with them, and had to punish them by letting 
the Philistines conquer them in battle ; and the 
children of Israel were in the hands of their 
enemies eighteen years at this time. And 
they were dreadfully distressed : so that they 
cried to the Lord, and confessed their sins to 
Him, and asked Him to do to them whatever 
He thought good; only that they might be 
delivered from their enemies. And they put 
away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord ; and God 
was grieved for their misery. Then the children of Ammon, some of 
their enemies, were gathered together in Gilead. And the children of 
Israel camped at Mizpeh. And the people and princes said one to an- 
other, What man will begin to fight for us against our enemies? He 
shall be head over all the people of Gilead. 

Now Jephthah, the Gileadite, was a mighty man of valor, but his 
brothers were unkind to him and made him go away from home, and 
lived in the land of Tob. 

But, at the time when the people wanted some one to lead them in bat- 
tle against their enemies, they thought of him, and some of the elders went 
to ask him to be their captain. But he remembered how badly they had 
treated him before, and he asked them to promise if they would certainly 



THE IHILISTINES CONQUERING. 



200 



ABIMELECH AND JEPHTHAH. 



make him their head, if he went with them. And they promised him 
solemnly that they would. So Jephthah went back with the elders, and 
became their captain. 

And he sent messengers to the king of the Amorites, asking him why 
he had come to fight in his land. And the king sent back word that it 
was because Israel took away his land when they came out of Egypt. 
Then Jephthah told him to think how the Lord had given the children of 
Israel the lands of other nations, and told him that wherever the Lord 
drove out their ene- 
mies before them, they 
should take their land. 
But the king of the 
Ammonites did not 
like Jephthah's words, 
and would not make 
peace. So Jephthah 
came with his army to 
the place where the 
Ammonites were en- 
camped. 

But before the bat" 
tie, Jephthah made a 
rash vow to the Lord, 
that if the Lord would 
give him victory over 
the Ammonites, he 
would sacrifice what- 
ever came out of his 
house first to meet 
him when he returned 
from the battle. So 
Jephthah passed over 
and fought with the 



Ammonites, 
Lord gave 



and 
him 



the 
the 




JEPHTHAH AND HIS DAUGHTER. 

victory over them, and he took twenty of their cities. But when Jephthah 
came in sight of his house as he came home from the war, who should 
come out of the door but his own dear daughter, his only child? She 
came joyfully along to meet him with music and dancing. And when he 
saw her, he tore his clothes, in token of his terrible sorrow, for he thought 
he must keep his dreadful vow. He said, Alas! my daughter! Thou hast 
brought me very low, for I have promised the Lord, and cannot go back. 



THE STORY OF SAMSON. 



20I 



Then she said to him, My father, if thou hast made this promise to the 
Lord, do to me whatever it is: because the Lord has given thee victory 
over thine enemies. She only asked that he would give her two months 
time in the mountains. Then she returned to him, and he did with her 
according to his vow. 

Every year after this, the children mourned for her four days. Jeph- 
thah had trouble after this with the Ephraimites,but conquered them, also. 
After judging the people of Israel six years, he died, and was buried in 
Gilead. 

After this, Ibzan judged Israel seven years. He had thirty sons and 
thirty daughters. After him came Elon. He died after judging Israel 
ten years. After him Abdon judged Israel eight years. Of these judges 
very little is told us. 

The Story of Samson. 



yudges 



1161 B. C. 




AD, again, is the* story, as we read that the chil- 
dren of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. 
He, therefore, let them become the servants of 
the Philistines forty years. 

There was at this time a man of the Dan- 
ites, whose name was Manoah. He and his 
wife had lived together some time, but had no 
children. One day the angel of the Lord ap- 
peared to his wife, and told her she should 
have a son. And he, also, told her that he would be a Nazarite from 
his birth ; that is, he should never drink wine nor strong drink, and his 
hair should not be cut, but he should be set apart to the Lord's service to 
the day of his death. He, also, told her that this son should deliver the 
children of Israel again from the Philistines. 

Then the woman came and told Manoah, her husband, that a man of 
God, with a face like that of an angel, had talked with her, but that she 
had not asked him whence he came, and that he had not told her his 
name. Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, and said, O, my Lord, let the 
man of God, which Thou didst send, come again unto us, and teach us 
what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. And God listened to 
the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman 
as she sat in the field : but Manoah, her husband, was not with her. Then 
she made haste, and ran, and told her husband that the man had appeared 
to her again. And he arose and went with her, and came to the man, and 
said to him, Art thou the man that spoke to the woman? And he said, I 



202 



THE STORY OF SAMSON. 



am. And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we 
order the child, and how shall we do to him ? And the angel of the Lord 
said to him, All that I said to the woman, let her be careful to obey it. 
And Manoah said to the 
angel of the Lord, I pray 
thee let us detain thee till 
we make ready a kid for 
thee. And the angel an- 
swered, Though thou keep 
me, I will not eat of thy 
food ; and if thou wilt offer 
a burnt offering, thou must 
offer it to the Lord. For 
Manoah knew not that he 
was an angel of the Lord. 
And Manoah asked him, 
What is thy name, that 
when thy sayings come to 
pass, we may do thee honor? 
The angel said to him, Why 
askest thou after my namej 
seeing it is a secret? So Ma- 
noah took a kid with a meat 
offering, and offered it upon 
a rock unto the Lord ; and 
the angel did a wonderful 
thing, and Manoah and his 
wife looked on. For when 
the flame of the burning meat went up toward heaven, the angel of the 
Lord went up to heaven in the flame. And Manoah and his wife looked 
on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. Then Manoah knew that he 
was an angel of God, and he said to his wife, We shall surely die, because 
we have seen God. But his wife said to him, If the Lord were pleased to 
kill us, He would not have received our sacrifice, nor told us all these 
things. 

After this Manoah and his wife were given a son, and they called his 
name Samson. And the child grew, and the Lord blessed him, and gave 
him His Spirit. 

After Samson had grown to be a man, he went down to Timnath, and 
saw a woman of the daughters of the Philistines, that he thought he 
would like for his wife. So he came back and told his father and mother 
that he wanted them to get her for his wife. But they said to him, Is 




manoah's sacrifice. 



THE STORY OF SAMSON. 



203 



there not a woman of thine own people whom thou canst take for a wife? 
They did not like to have him choose a wife from their enemies. But 
Samson said, Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well. So Samson and 
his father and mother went down to Timnath, and came to the vineyards 

there, and a 
young lion met 
Samson, and 
roared at him. 
And the Spirit 
of the Lord came 
upon him so 
mightily, that he 
tore him as easily 
as if he had been 
a kid, and he had 
nothing in his 
hand 

And Samson 
■went down and 
talked with the 
woman of Tim- 
nath, and she 
pleased him well. 
After a time he 
returned to take 
her as his wife. 
And he turned 
aside to see the 

SAMSON SLAYING THE LION. Cai'CaSS of the 

lion, and saw a swarm of bees and honey in it. And he took some of the 
honey in his hands, and ate it as he walked. When he had come to his 
father and mother, he gave them some of the honey, but did not tell them 
where he had found it. 

After this, they made a wedding-feast for Samson, and thirty of the 
Philistines were invited to attend it. And Samson gave them a riddle to 
guess, and promised them thirty changes of garments if they could tell its 
meaning. But he told them if they could not do so, they were to give 
him the thirty changes of clothing. So Samson told them the riddle, 
which was this: Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong 
came forth sweetness. The meaning of it was, that out of the lion he had 
taken the sweet honey. 

But these Philistines had not guessed it when three days had gone by. 




2 04 



THE STORY OF SAMSON. 



The feast lasted seven days, and they only had the time during the feast 
to find out. When the seventh day had come, they begged Samson's 
wife to get Samson to tell her, and then they said she must let them know 
what it was, or else they would burn her and her father's house with fire. 

So she wept before Samson, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lov- 
est me not ; thou hast put forth a riddle to my people, and hast not told 
me. Then he answered her, that he had not even told his father and 
mother. But she kept weeping before him, till finally he told her; and 
then she told her 
people. So the 
men of the city 
came to him on 
the seventh day, 
just before sun- 
down, and said, 
What is sweeter 
than honey? and 
what is stronger 
than a lion? But 
Samson knew 
that his wife had 
told them. 

And the Spir- 
it of the Lord 

Came Upon Sam- SAMSON TAKING THE HONEY OUT OP THE LION. 

son afresh, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty Philistines, 
and gave their thirty suits of clothes to those who had found out the rid- 
dle. Samson then went to his father's house, leaving his wife with her 
father. 

A while after this, Samson took a kid as a present to his wife, and 
went down to Timnath to visit her. But her father would not let him see 
her, and told him she had been given to another man as his wife. Sam- 
son felt very much hurt at this, and took revenge on the Philistines in this 
way: He went and caught three hundred foxes, and took fire-brands and 
tied them to their tails, and then set them loose in the standing corn of the 
Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks of corn, and, also, the standing 
corn, with the vineyards and olives. Then the Philistines said, Who hath 
done this? And they answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timmite, 
because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the 
Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. Then Sam- 
son said he would be avenged for this. And he fought the Philistines, 
and killed a great many of them, 
top of a rock called Etam. 




Then he went down and lived on the 



THE STORY OF SAMSON. 



20 5 



Then the Philistines went up, mid camped in Judah. And the men of 
Judah asked them why they had come. And they answered, To find 
Samson we are come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. Then three 
thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to 

Samson, Know- 
est thou not that 
thePhilistines are 
rulers over us ? 
What is this that 
thou hast done 
unto us ? And he 
answered them, 
As they did un- 
to me, so have I 
done unto them. 
And they said 
to him, We are 
come down to 
bind thee, that 
we may deliver 
thee into the 
hand of thePhil- 
istines. And 
Samson said they 
must promise 
him very solemn- 
ly that they 
would not kill 
him. And they 

said, Surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new 
cords, and brought him up from the rock. 

And when he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him, and 
the Lord strengthened him so much that the cords that were upon his 
arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and 
his bands loosed from off his hands. And he 
found a new jaw-bone of an ass, and with it he 
slew a thousand of the Philistines. And Samson 
said, With the jaw-bone of an ass, heaps upon 
heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thous- 
and men. Then he threw away the jaw-bone. 
Afterwards he was very thirsty, and called on the 
Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliv- 




SA31S0N SLAYING THE PHILISTINES. 




206 



THE STORY OF SAMSON, 



erance to thy servant; and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the 

hands of these Philistines? But God opened a hollow place that was in 

the jaw, and water came out: and he drank, and was revived, and made 

strong again. 

Then Samson went 

to Gaza, and went into a 

house there. And it was 

told in the city that he 

was there. And the peo- 
ple of the city watched 

the gate of the city all 

night, so that he should 

not get away from them, 

and said they would kill 

him in the morning. And 

vSamson lay till midnight, 

then he arose, and took 

the doors of the gate of 

the city, and the two 

posts, and went away 

with them, bar and all, 

and put them upon his 

shoulders, and carried 

them up to the top of the 

hill that is before Heb- 
ron. 

After this, Samson 

loved a woman named 

Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came to her, and asked her to 

find out for them where Samson's great strength lay, so that they 

might bind him, to torment him ; and they promised her, each of them, 

eleven hundred pieces of silver. So Delilah asked him, and Samson told 

her a falsehood, and said that if they bound 
him with seven green withs that were never 
dried, then he would be weak. So the lords of 
the Philistines brought her seven green withs, 
and she bound him with them. There were 
men hidden in the room to take him, if he did 
not break away. And she said, The Philis- 
tines are upon thee, Samson. And he broke 
the withs as a thread often is broken when it 
samson and delilah. touches the nre. 




SAMSON CARRYING OFF THE GATES OF GAZA. 




THE STORY OF SAMSON. 



207 



Then Delilah said to him that he had mocked her, and told her lies; 
and she begged him again to tell how he might be bound. And he told 
her if they would bind him with new ropes that never had been used, he 
would be weak. So she bound him with two new ropes, and said again, 
The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he broke these off from his 
arms like a thread. 

And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told 
me lies; tell me how thou mayest be bound. And he said, If thou tiest 
up the seven locks of my head, I shall be weak. And she did so, and said 

again, The Philistines are 
upon thee, Samson. And he 
waked from his sleep and 
went away with the pin of 
the beam to which she had 
fastened him. Then she 
said to him, How canst thou 
say, I love thee, when thy 
heart is not with me? And 
she pressed him daily with 
her words so hard, that his 
soul was tired to death. 
Then in weakness, he told 
her the true secret, and said, 
There hath not come a 
razor upon my head' for I 
have been a Nazarite unto 
God from my birth ; if I be 
shorn,then will my strength 
go from me, and I shall be- 
come weak, and be like any other man. 

When Delilah saw that Samson had told her the truth, she sent for the 
lords of the Philistines to come up just once more. And they came, and 
brought money in their hand as they had promised. And while he was 
asleep she had a man cut off the seven locks of his head, and she cried out 
again, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke, but was 
not able to get away as at other times, for his strength was gone. Then 
the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to 
Gaza, and bound him with brass chains ; and they made him grind in the 
prison. 

But after awhile his hair began to grow again. Then the lords of the 
Philistines gathered together to offer sacrifice to their heathen god, Dagon ; 




208 



THE STORY OF SAMSON. 



and they were very merry, because they said their god had given Samson 
into their hands. And the people were merry and praised this god, and 
called for poor blind Samson out of the prison, to make sport for them. 
And they set him between the pillars. 

Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the 
Philistines were there ; and there were upon the roof about three thousand 
men and women, that looked while Samson made sport. And Samson 



; : '-. 




SAMSON GRINDING IN PRISON. 

prayed to the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray Thee, 
only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines 
for my two eyes. 

And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house 
stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and 
of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philis- 



DEBORAH, GIDEON, JEPHTHAH AND SAMSON. , 209 

tines. And he bowed himself with all his might ; and the house fell upon 
the lords, and upon all the people that were in it. So those that he slew 
at his death were more than they which he slew in his life. Then his 
brethren, and all the house of his father, came down, and took him, and 
brought him up and buried him in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. 
Samson had judged Israel twenty years. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



IN the Story of Deborah, we have an illustration of what a brave, reso- 
lute, heaven-inspired woman is capable. A grander life and greater 
opportunities are now afforded woman, in the fullness of the light of 
the Christian Dispensation, than have ever been given her before. The 
nineteenth century is indeed woman's century. 

The act of Jael in putting to death Sisera, the sworn enemy of Israel, 
does not justify in the least the breaking of the laws of friendship and 
hospitality. If it was an act that met the Divine approval, it was because 
God desired Jael to be His executioner of justice. We must ever abhor 
the thought of betraying any one whom we have invited to put confidence 
in us. 

Meroz was cursed, because the inhabitants did not help Deborah and 
Barak in their sore need. 

Meroz was guilty of the omission of a plain and positive duty, of a sin 
of lukewarmness and carelessness, of the neglect of a great opportunity, 
and of meeting a crisis in the history of the children of Israel. The les- 
son is a striking one for each of us to learn. We must ever beware of 
sins of omission, of lukewarmness, and of letting go by great opportuni- 
ties. 

Gideon was a thorough patriot, a man of wonderful common sense and 
practical knowledge of affairs, and of great personal bravery. Yet he did 
not wish to take a step unless God was with him. Deep piety crowned 
his character. 

God sifted Gideon's army. Three hundred truly brave men were bet- 
ter than ten thousand men, with a large proportion of cowards among 
them. Persia, with her million of soldiers, learned what six hundred 
Grecian soldiers could do at the Pass of Thermopylae. 

The victory to be won by Gideon was to be a victory of faith ; and 
God would have all the glory. But yet He uses the right agents to mani- 
fest the faith and win the victory. The three hundred men who simply 
scooped up a little water in the hollow of their hands, and lapped it, or 
sipped it, even as a dog laps while he runs, showed that they were veter- 
ans of war, ready for an ambush or prepared for an attempted surprise. 
The men who threw themselves recklessly on the ground to drink, were 
men who evidently did not know the perils that beset them. Self-control, 
watchfulness, the holding of ourselves well in hand, with the mastery over 
appetite and desire, and the keeping of a high and noble aim ever before 
us, are the lessons to us from the brave three hundred men of Gideon's 
army. 

The vow of Jephthah was a rash vow. We cannot believe that God 



2IO 



DEBORAH, GIDEON, JEPHTHAH AND SAMSON. 



required him to fulfill it. It was right in Jephthah to make some kind of 
a vow to the Lord expressive of his thankfulness to God, but not to do 
anything which involved human sacrifice. 

Jephthah is crushed by the greatness of the calamity which the vow 
has brought upon him and his joyous, innocent daughter. But she rises 
with a noble grandeur of soul above her sorrow, and in her darkened con- 
ceptions of God, almost glories that He has granted the victory, even at 
the price of her sacrifice. 

Samson comes before us as the Giant Judge, the Jewish Hercules. In 
the roll call of the noble spirits who did so much to deliver Israel, Samson 
assuredly stood first, surpassing them all in his splendid deeds. 

Among the elements of his strength was a natural cheerfulness, and a 
joy in doing the work of deliverance. The joy of the Lord is your 
strength. His abstinence from strong drink and narcotics, contributed to 
the almost superhuman energy of this child of daring and genius. 

His fall was pathetic and tragic. The very eagerness, impulsiveness 
and grandeur of his nature made him specially liable to temptation and to 
fall. It is a lesson full of meaning — that the spiritual man must not yield 
to the animal nature which so often wars with terrific might within. 

Purity and power ever go hand in hand. 




THE STORY OF RUTH. 



211 



The Story of Ruth. 



Ruth 



IJ22-IJI2 £. C. 




OW in the days when the judges ruled 
over Israel, there was a famine in Canaan. 
And a man of Bethlehem went to live a 
while in the country of Moab, he and his 
wife, and his two sons. And the name 
of the man was Elimelech, and the name 
of his wife Naomi, and his sons' names 
were Mahlon and Chilion. After a time 
Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and 
she was left and her two sons. And they 
took them wives of the women of Moab. The name of one was Orpah 
and the name of the other Ruth: and they lived there about ten years 
Then Mahlon and Chilion died, also, both of them ; and Naomi was ,eft 
with only her two daughters-in-law. 

Then she decided to leave the land of Moab and go back to Canaan, 
for she had heard that the famine was over there, and the Lord had given 
His people bread again. So she and her daugh- 
ters-in-law started to go back to Bethlehem. And 
Naomi said to them, Go, each of you to your 
mother's house; the Lord deal kindly with you, 
as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. For 
Naomi thought it would be too much to ask them 
to leave their own homes and go with her. 
Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. 
And they said, Surely we will return with thee naomi and her daughters. 
unto thy land. But Naomi again urged them to stay in their own coun- 
try. And they wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and bade 
her good-bye: but Ruth would not leave Naomi, and said. Entreat me not 
to leave thee, or to return from following after thee ; for whither thou 
goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be 
my people, and thy God my God ; where thou diest I will die, and there 
will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more, also, if aught but death 
part thee and me. When Naomi saw how much Ruth wanted to go with 
her, she did not urge her any more to go back to her own home. 




212 



THE STORY OF RUTH. 




So they two came to Bethlehem. And all the city was glad to see 
them, and said, Is this Naomi? And she said, Call me not Naomi (which 

means pleasant): but call me Mara (which means 
bitter); for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly 
with me. She meant that the Lord had allowed 
her to have great sorrow in the loss of her hus- 
band and sons. It was about the beginning of 
barley harvest when they came back to Bethle- 
hem. And Naomi had a kinsman of her hus- 
band's, a mighty man of wealth, whose name was 
Boaz. And Ruth said to Naomi, Let me now go 
to the field, and glean ears of corn. The reapers never gathered all their 
grain, but left some for the poor to find, as the Lord had commanded. 
And Naomi said Ruth might go and glean. 

Then she went and happened to come into the field of Boaz, their rel- 
ative, and she gleaned there after the reapers. 

And Boaz himself came into the field and said to the reapers, The 
Lord be with you. And they answered, The Lord bless thee. Then 
Boaz asked the head-reaper, saying, Who is this damsel (or young woman) ? 
And the reaper said, It is the Moabitish damsel, that came back with Nao- 
mi: She said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among 
the sheaves; so she came, and has been here since the morning. Then 
Boaz said to Ruth, Go not to glean in another field, but keep here close to 
my maidens. Let thine eyes be upon the field which they reap; I have 
told my young men not to touch thee. And when 
thou art thirsty, go and drink of the water which the 
young men have drawn. 

And Ruth fell on her face, and said, Why have 
I found grace in thine eyes, and why art thou so 
kind to a stranger? And Boaz answered that he 
had heard how kind she had been to her mother-in- 
law since the death of her husband, and how she 
had left her own father and mother and the land 
where she was born, and had come to a people which she had not known 
before. The Lord reward thee, and a full recompense be given thee of 
the Lord God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust. 

And Boaz told her to come at meal-time, and eat and drink with his 
reapers. So she sat beside the reapers, and Boaz passed her parched corn, 
and she ate, and had enough, then left to go and glean again. And when 
she had gone, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean 
even among the sheaves, and rebuke her not; and let some handsful fall 
on purpose for her, that she may glean there, and do not find fault with 





RUTH AND BOAZ. 



213 



2I a THE STORY OF RUTH. 

her. So she gleaned in the field till evening, and beat out what she had 
gleaned ; and it was about an ephah of barley. 

And she took it up and went into the city, and showed it to her mother- 
in-law, who was very glad, and said to her, Where hast thou gleaned to- 
day? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did take notice 
of thee. Then Ruth told her how she had gleaned in the field of Boaz. 
And Naomi said, The man is near of kin to us. Ruth told her, also, that 
Boaz had told her to glean in his fields till the end of harvest. And Nao- 
mi said to Ruth, that it was good for her to go out with his maidens. So 
she kept close by his maidens to glean until the end of the barley harvest 
and of wheat harvest. 

Then Naomi told Ruth one day that Boaz was going to have a win- 
nowing of his barley that night. Winnowing meanr fanning out the 
straws from the kernels, after they had been beaten out of the husks; and 
a good many persons came together to help in this work, and afterwards 
they had a feast. And Naomi told Ruth to wash herself and put on her 
best clothes, and go down to the winnowing of Boaz. And Naomi told 
her to go near to Boaz after the feast, and make herself known to him, 
and he would tell her what she should do. 

So Ruth went down to the winnowing, and did all that her mother had 
told her to do. And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, she came near and 
told him that he was a near kinsman. And he said, Blessed be thou of 
the Lord, my daughter. And now fear not: for all the city of my people 
doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am 
thy near kinsman. 

Then he tpld her to .bring the long veil she wore, and he poured into it 
six measures of barley. And she carried it to her mother-in-law in the 
city, and told her what Boaz had said. Then Naomi told Ruth to sit still 
until she should know how the matter would end, for she said, The man 
will not rest until he have finished the thing this day. 

Then Boaz went up to the gate of the city, 
for the city was walled in, and it was at the 
city gates where all the public matters were 
told. And he sat down and told the elders and 
the people of the city there, that they were 
witnesses that day, that he had bought all that 
belonged to Naomi's husband and sons; and 
that he was going to take Ruth for his wife. 
And all the people said, We are witnesses. 
The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and 
like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel. 

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. And they lived together 




THE STORY OF RUTH. 



"5 



and after a while they had a little son. And Naomi took the child and 
nursed it. And the women rejoiced with Naomi over the birth of her 
grandson, and gave him the name of Obed. And when he grew up, he 
had a son named Jesse. And Jesse had a son named David, who became 
kinor of Israel. 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



THIS is one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. It is like a sweet 
pastoral symphony between the stirring, clashing strains of martial 
music, as it comes between the record of the wars recorded in the 
Judges and the Books of Samuel. 

The fidelity of Naomi to her God, although in a heathen country, 
dwelling away from her own land, with a poor, bereaved and almost 
broken heart, teaches us the lesson of faithfulness to our God in the most 
difficult, sorrowful and painful periods of life. The grace of Israel's God 
that was given her, will surely be given us. By the silent eloquence of a 
beautiful and holy example, she impressed her daughters with the convic- 
tion that her God was her sufficient portion and comfort. Our consistent 
example should ever win, by its holy influence, our friends to Him, who 
■will never leave nor forsake, but will be our Guide until death. Naomi 
truly deserved the name given her, which means beauty or pleasantness. 
The devotion of Ruth to Naomi expressed in her words of affection, de- 
termination and interest,which will ever have an inexpressible charm, teach 
us the great lesson of disinterested friendship, and of devotion to the Di- 
vine Christ who sticketh closer than a brother. 

In the carrying out of the instructions of Naomi with regard to Boaz, 
there was the immaculate purity of intention on the part of Ruth, although 
such a procedure would not be in good taste now. For this noble girl 
was "chaste as the icicle that's curded by the frost from purest snow, and 
hangs on Dian's temple." 

Boaz could truthfully say of her that she did not run after young men. 
Naomi could never say of her that she was ungrateful. When lifted to 
her high position, she did not forget her mother-in-law. So there never 
came into Naomi's experience the meaning of that expressive language 
"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child." The 
word Ruth means mercy, tenderness for the suffering. The opposite of 
this is ruthless. 

Beautiful, modest, winning, loving, tender and true, may her noble 
qualities be emulated by us! And for Him who is the One altogether 
lovely, may there ever be a devotion surpassing that of Ruth for Naomi! 



2l6 



THE STORY OF JOB. 



The Story of Job. 




Job i-xlii. 1520 B. C. 

N the land of Uz there was a man whose name 
was Job. He was a good man, fearing God, 
and trying to do nothing evil. There were 
born to him seven sons and three daughters. 
He was very rich in flocks and herds. He 
had seven thousand sheep, and three thousand 
camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and 
five hundred asses, and a very large number of 
servants, both men and women. He was the 
greatest of all the men in the East where he 
lived, and was beloved and honored by all who knew him. 

His sons, in turn, made a feast in their houses at regular times, and in- 
vited their three sisters each time, to enjoy it with them. 

After the feast was ended, Job sent to them and told them to be thank- 
ful to God for what He had given them, and to confess their sins to Him, 
and receive forgiveness. And Job, early in 
,the morning, offered sacrifices to God for 
them all, that He might look with favor 
upon them. 

After awhile great trouble came upon 
Job. God permitted many grievous things 
to happen to him. But He allowed them 
to trouble Job, because He knew that Job 
would be made better by them, and come 

out of his terrible trials like gold seven times | liliteip^'' 
purified in the fire. 

The Sabeans, the enemies of Job, came one day when his sons and 
daughters were feasting, and took away many oxen and asses, and killed 
the servants that were looking after them. The messenger who came to 
tell Job said that he, himself, was the only one that escaped. 

While this servant was thus telling the bad news, another messenger 
came, saying that the fire of God— probably the lightning — had fallen from 
heaven, and burnt up the sheep of Job, and the servants with them, and 
he only had escaped. 




THE STORY OF JOB. 



17 



Before he had finished speaking, another messenger came running, say- 
ing that the enemies of Job, the Chaldeans (Kaldeans) had made an 
attack in three bands and taken the camels away, and killed the servants, 
and he only had been able to get away. 

And while he ***** M»^^^^^^^^^^ 
was ye speaking, 
another messenger 
came with the sad- 
dest story of all. 
He said, while thy 
sons and thy daugh- 
ters were feasting 
in thy eldest son's 
house, a great wind 
came from the wil- 
derness — a fierce 
tornado — that blew 
down the house, 
and it fell upon the 
young men and they 
are dead, and I only 
have been left to 
come and tell thee. 
Then Job arose, 
and rent his robe, 
and fell down upon 
the ground, and 

° JOB RECEIVING EVIL TIDINGS. 

bowed himself before the Lord, saying, I came as a little child with noth- 
ing into this world, and I shall go out of it, 
taking nothing with me. The Lord gave and 
the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the 
name of the Lord. So in all this Job did not 
sin, and think and say that God had done 
wrongly by him. 

After this, Job was tried again by having 
pain sent upon him. He was covered with 
sore boils from the sole of his foot to his 
head, and he was in great distress. Then his 

wife became impatient with God's dealings, and wanted Job to complain. 





JOB IN AFFLICTION. 



2l8 



THE STORY OF JOB. 




we not 
evil? 




But he told her she was a foolish woman, and said, Shall we receive good 

at the hand of 
God, and shall 
)t receive 
In all this 
suffering Job did 
not sin with his 
lips. 

Then came 
J o b's three 
friends, Eliphaz, BILDAD - 

Bildad and Zophar, who had heard of all this evil that had come upon 
him, and tried to comfort him. But when they came in sight of him, they 
did not know him, he was so changed, and they wept aloud and rent their 
clothes, and sat down by him on the ground seven days and seven nights, 
and said not a word, because they saw his sorrow was so great. 

Job then opened his mouth, and moaned about, and complained of his 

great sufferings. He longed for death, to free him from pain. Then 

Job's three friends began to talk in turn, and they each reproved him for 

something, and thought Job must have sinned very greatly, or else God 

would not have let him suffer so much. They all tried to tell him how he 

ought to have done differently, and they said a great many high-sounding 

-j.^-- ,--:• :^>£> .. things which 

2gj? : made Job appear 

Wk\\~^$ SSI in a bad light. 

And he answered 

them and felt 

very much hurt, 

because he had 

tried to be a good 

man, and did not 

zophar. believe God had 

sent the trouble as a punishment. 

Finally, after they had talked a great deal back and forth to each other, 
Job said to them, I have heard many such things: miserable comforters 
are ye all. I also could speak as ye do, if you were in my place. I could 
heap up words against you, and shake my head at you. But I would com- 
fort you. Then Job moaned again, and said, God hath delivered me to 
the ungodly. His archers compass me about. My face is foul with 
weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death. My friends scorn 
me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. My kinsfolk have failed, 
and my familiar friends have forgotten me. Have pity upon 





JOB LISTENING. 



me, 



have 



220 



THE STORY OF JOB. 



pity upon me, O ye friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. 
Then his hope arose again and he said, For I know that my Redeemer 
liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth ; and though 
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. 
Afterwards Job said, Oh, that I were as in months past when God pre- 
served me, when his candle shone on my head, when the Almighty was 




GOD ANSWERING JOB OUT OP THE WHIRLWIND. 

with me, when my children were about me, when men gave ear to me, 
and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. Then he wailed out again, 
But now, they that are younger than I, have me in derision. And now my 
soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon 
me. My bones are pierced in me in the night season. My harp also is 
turned into mourning, and my organ into the 
voice of them that weep. 

Then the Lord answered Job out of the 
whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darken- 
eth counsel by words without knowledge? 
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will 
demand of thee, and answer thou me. Then 
God brought before Job all His mighty works 
in a long list. He said, Hast thou perceived 
the breadth of the earth? Declare if thou 
knowest it all. Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow ? Canst 
thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 
Canst thou send lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we 
are? Who provideth for the raven his food? Gavest thou the goodly 




THE CHILDREN OF JOB. 



THE STORY OF JOB. 



221 




THE DAUGHTERS OF JOB. 



wings to the peacock? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and 
make her nest on high? Shall he that con. 
tendeth with the Almighty instruct Him ? 

Then Job was ashamed of his complaints, 
and said to the Lord, Behold, I am vile; what 
shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand 
upon my mouth. Then God spoke still fur- 
ther unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 
Hast thou an arm like God? Behold, now that 
great animal, the behemoth, he drinketh up a 
river and hasteth not. Canst thou draw out a 
leviathan with a hook? 

Then Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do 
everything, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee. Where- 
fore I abhor myself in dust and ashes. Then the Lord said to Job's three 

friends that His 
wrath was kindled 
against them, for 
they had not spoken 
of Him the thing 
that was right, as 
His servant Job 
had. And the Lord 
told them they 
must take seven 
bullocks, and seven 
rams, and go to His 
servant Job, and 
offer up for them- 
selves a burnt offer- 
ing; and God said, 
My servant Job 
will pray for you: 
for him will I ac- 
cept. So these 
three men did as 
the Lord had com- 
manded, 

And the Lord 
healed Job of his 
job prospered at last. sickness, when he 

prayed for his friends : also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had 




2 22 THE STORY OF JOB. 

before. Then all Job's brothers and sisters and acquaintances came to see 
him, and they ate bread with him in his house, and comforted him; and 
they each gave him a piece of money, and an earring of gold. So the 
Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning; for he had 
fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of 
oven, and a thousand asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. 
And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job; 
and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this 
Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his son's sons, 
even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



THE Book of Job is probably the most ancient book in the world. It 
is also one of the most difficult in the Sacred Volume. Its teachings 
are those of the New Testament — of Christ himself — that outward 
calamities do not prove the one suffering them to be a sinner above his 
fellow-men. 

This story teaches us that the wisest men, in their reasoning about the 
mysterious events of Divine Providence, often go wide astray, and that 
but little light can be thrown upon the ways of God by the profoundest 
thinking, or the acutest observation. The three friends of Job, with Elihu, 
were entirely wrong in their supposition and charges. 

We learn that our poor human nature even at its best often gives way. 
Job, the very model and synonym of patience, yielded to impatience under 
the excitement of his feelings and the pressure of his woes. He is irrev- 
erent in his reflections on the government of God. But this is only for 
the moment. He quickly repents of this temporary relapse, and meekly 
and submissively bows before God, and knows and asserts that the Judge 
of all the earth will do right. 

This story is one of the grandest of object lessons, to show us that the 
upright man will, in the end, be honored by God and man. He may seem 
to be the objects of His displeasure, but ultimately, it will be seen to be 
true that whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. He will surely show 
them the outward marks of His favor, if not in this life, still in the life to 
come. We are taught to hold fast to our integrity when passing through 
trials. They may be long and severe. Property may be swept away. 
Friends may grow cold and desert us. Bodily afflictions may come upon 
us. But in the midst of all we are to say, though He slay me yet will I 
trust in Him. We may be sure that these light afflictions — light in view 
of what is to come — will work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the 
things which are not seen. 

We learn further, how little dependence, in many cases, can be put 
upon friends. How often, as in Job's case, will they come back to us after 
the calamity is past, and become exceedingly kind and attentive. We 
prove the truth of the saying, that swallow — friends, that are gone in the 
Winter will return in the Spring, though their friendship is of little value. 



THE STORY OF JONAH. 



223 




We must have a friend in Him, who will never leave nor forsake us. He 
says, when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and the 
rivers, they shall not overflow thee. 

We are also taught to overcome the unkindness of our friends by 
praying for them. Whatever they may do to us, we must ever be pa- 
tient and forbearing towards them. 

The Story of Jonah. 

yonah i-iv. 862 B. C. 
OW the word of the Lord came to Jonah, say- 
ing, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and 
cry against it; for their wickedness is come up 
before Me. Nineveh was one of the largest 
cities in the world, being sixty miles around it. 
Its walls were a hundred feet high, and* so 
thick that on their top three chariots, drawn by 
horses, could be driven side by side. The 
walls were made still stronger by fifteen hun- 
dred towers, which were built above them at 
equal distances apart, all around the city. These towers were two hun- 
dred feet high. A great many people lived in the city, and they had fine 
houses, and temples, and palaces, and beautiful gardens, and green fields. 
But Nineveh was a very wicked city. Its people would not worship the 
true God, and did so many evil things that the Lord was angry with them. 
So the Lord spoke to the prophet Jonah, and told him to go and 
preach to the people of Nineveh, telling them what punishment God 
would bring upon them, if they kept on sinning against Him. But Jonah 
did not want to do whaL God told him, so he fled to a city on the sea 
coast, called Joppa. There he found a ship that was going to sail to a 
country that was a great way from his own, and having paid his fare, he 
went into the ship ; for Jonah was foolish enough to think that he could 
go away to some place where the Lord could not speak to him. 

Soon after he had sailed out on the sea, the 
Lord sent a very strong wind, and a great 
s-torm arose, and the waves dashed over the 
ship so that it was in danger of being sunk. 
Then the sailors became much frightened, and 
they prayed, each one to his idol, for help. 
And they threw out many of the things with 
which the ship was loaded, to make it lighter, 
and keep it from sinking. All this time Jonah 
was lying fast asleep in the lower part of the 
ship, and did not know of the great danger they were in. 




224 



THE STORY OF JONAH. 



And the captain of the vessel went down to Jonah, and waked him 
out of his sleep, saying, "What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, and call 
upon thy God ; for perhaps he will take pity on us, and keep us from 
drowning." Then the sailors talked among themselves, and said that the 
storm had been sent because some one in the ship had done wickedly. 
And they cast lots to see for whose sake so great a danger had been sent 
upon them; and the lot fell upon Jonah. The the men said to him, 
What evil thing hast thou done? what is thy business? where dost thou 
come from? where is thy country? and to what people dost thou belong? 
Jonah told them that he was a Hebrew, and was fleeing from the presence 
of the Lord who made the sea and dry land, because he did not want to 
do what the Lord had commanded him. 

When the men heard this they were in great fear, and said to Jonah, 




JONAH CAST FORTH FROM THE VESSEL. 



Why hast thou done this thing? What shall we do to thee, that the sea 
may become calm for us? For the tempest raised great waves upon the 
sea, and the ship was much tossed. Jonah told them to take him up and 
cast him into the sea, then it would become still again, because he knew, 
he said, that it was for his sake that the tempest had been sent upon them. 
Yet the men wanted to save him if they could, and they worked hard to 
row the ship to land, but they could not, for the storm was against them. 
Then the men prayed to Jonah's God, who was the Lord of heaven and 
earth, and begged him not to punish them for casting Jonah into the sea, 
as if they were putting to death an innocent man: for the Lord, they 



THE STORY OF JOXAH. 



225 



said, had sent the tempest upon them on Jonah's account. Then they took 

t^^^^lSS^^ U P J onan an d threw him into the sea, and the 

efiflMH B^BIlBifc sea at once became calm. And the men feared 

the Lord greatly. And they offered a sacrifice 
to Him, and promised to serve him. 

Now the Lord had a large fish ready to 
swallow up Jonah, when he should be thrown 
into the sea. And the fish swallowed him, and 
Jonah was three days and three nights in the 
fish. The Lord, in His mercy, kept him all this 
time from dying. And Jonah prayed earnest- 
ly to the Lord to forgive him, and take him out. And the Lord heard 
him, and caused the fish to cast him out upon the dry land. 

And the Lord spoke to Jonah the second time, and said, Go into Nin- 
eveh, that great city, and preach what I shall tell thee. And Jonah arose 
and went to Nineveh, as God had commanded. And he went into the 
city as far as he could walk in a day, and cried, saying, After forty days 





JONAH CAST FORTH BY THE FISH. 

Nineveh shall be overthrown. And the people of Nineveh believed in God, 
and were sorry for their sins, and put on sackcloth. All the great men, as 
well as the lowest of the common people, put on sackcloth and fasted. 
For the king of Nineveh had heard what Jonah had said, and he laid aside 
his robe of state, and put on sackcloth and sat in ashes, to show how sorry 
he was for his sins, and the sins of his people. 

And, both he and his great men with him, commanded that neither 
man nor beast, herd nor flock should taste anything, either food or 



221 



THE STORY OF JONAH. 



water. But man and beast were to be covered with sackcloth. 

people were to 
cry mightily un- 
to God, and 
were to turn 
from their evil 



And the 




ways, 



and from 



JONAH PREACHING TO THE NINEVTTES. 




doing violence. 
And they said, 
Who can tell if 

God Will nOt THE KING OF NINEVEH IN SACKCLOTH. 

turn away His fierce anger, and we be saved from death. 

And God forgave them, and He did not overthrow the city, because 
the people repented. But Jonah was very much displeased, because his 
words about the city did not come true, and he grew angry. And he 
prayed to the Lord, and said that was the reason he did not like to give 
the message the first time, but fled away to Tarshish, instead of obeying 
the Lord; because he knew that God was a gracious God, and merciful, 
slow to anger, and of great kindness. Then he begged the Lord to take 
away his life, for he thought he would rather die than have people think 
he was a false prophet. 

The Lord answered him, and said, Doest thou well to be angry ? So 

Jonah went out 

of the city, and 

sat down under 

a booth which 

he made, to see 

what would be- 
come of the city. 

And the Lord 




THE PEOPLE CRYING UNTO THE LORD. 



prepared a 
gourd, and made 




JONAH UNDER THE GOURD. 



it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to com- 
fort him. This vine formed a pleasant shade, which Jonah was. glad to 
enjoy. But God sent a worm the next morning, which ate the gourd, so 
that it withered. And as the sun arose, God sent a strong east wind, and 
the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, so that he fainted ; and he wished 
himself dead again. 

And God asked him, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? 
And Jonah answered, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then God 
told him that he was angry about the gourd, for which he had not la- 
bored, and which came up in a night, and withered in a night. And the 



THE STORY OF JONAH. 227 

Lord said, Should not I be merciful to Nineveh, when the people repent- 
ed, and spare that great city, where there are more than one hundred and 
twenty thousand little children, too small to tell their right hand from 
their left? Thus God taught Jonah to humble himself, and be willing 
that God should forgive those who repented of their sins, even though it 
might contradict the words he had been commanded to speak against 
them. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



JONAH belonged to Gath-hepher, a city of Galilee, in the tribe of Zeb- 
ulun. He was a prophet in the reign of Jeroboam, and was a messen- 
ger of mercy to Israel. This story teaches the power of human con- 
science, which is God's vice gerent in the soul. It shows us the hidden 
sympathy of Nature with man, and its relations both of retribution and 
rewards to him in his attitude of wrong or well doing. 

We are taught that we cannot escape from our duty, go where we 
may to run away from it. The voice of conscience, the voice of man, and 
the voice of God will be heard in expostulation and warning. God will 
bring moral compulsion to bear upon us. There will be no satisfaction or 
happiness for us until the duty shall be discharged. 

The comforting truth is brought clearly to light, that God's mercy in 
its wideness is like the wideness of the sea. He freely pardons repenting 
sinners, and turns away the doom that hangs over Nineveh. 

We are further taught the mercy of God in dealing with repining 
saints like Jonah. Though the prophet is full of complaints, is irritable, 
selfish and impatient, God, who knoweth our frame, and remembereth 
that we are but dust, bears with him, reasons with him, and by loving- 
kindness and compassion, brings him into a better state of mind. How 
blessed the thought that this God is our God. He ever stands with out- 
stretched arms to receive us, and speak the peace that passeth understand- 
ing to our penitent souls, and that His name is Love. 




228 



THE BIRTH AND DEDICATION OF SAMUEL. 



The Birth and Dedication of Samuel. 



•r^ipii^iTriirrf^! 




/ Samuel i-iii. 1171-Z165 B. C. 

OW we are told that after the children of 
Israel came into the land of Canaan, the 
tabernacle was brought to Shiloh, and a 
great many people used to go up to that 
place every year, to worship at the taber- 
nacle. Among the persons who went up 
to worship, was a man, whose name 
was Elkanah. His wife Hannah used to 
go with him also. Elkanah loved his 
wife very dearly, and gave her a nice 
present whenever he went up to offer his yearly sacrifice. 

Now God had not given Hannah any little children, and this made her 
very unhappy ; and whenever she went with her husband to the taberna- 
cle, she used to kneel down and pray with all her heart to God that He 
would let her have a son; and she solemnly promised that if she had a 
son, she would lend him to the Lord, and he should be set apart to serve 
the Lord all the days of his life. A good old man, whose name was Eli, 
was the high priest at that time; and once, when Hannah went with her 
husband to Shiloh, and prayed at the tabernacle, Eli was sitting upon a 
high seat in the tabernacle. And as Hannah prayed to God in a very low 
voice, and wept while she prayed, Eli saw her lips moving, but could not 
tell what she was saying. 

Then Eli thought she had been drinking too much wine, and in her 
drunkenness was muttering words to herself; and he spoke roughly to 
her, saying, "How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from 
thee." Then Hannah answered meekly, and said that she had drunk nei- 
ther wine nor strong drink, but had been praying to the Lord with all her 
heart. When Eli heard this, he spoke kindly to her, and said, "Go in 
peace, and may God give thee what thou hast been asking for." Hannah 
was made very glad by Eli's kind words, and she wiped away her tears, 
and went away feeling much less sad than she had been before. And she 
and her husband left Shiloh, and went back to their home in Ramah. 

And God remembered Hannah's prayer, and gave her a little son, and 
she called his name Samuel, which means, "asked of God;" because, she 



THE BIRTH AND DEDICATION OF SAMUEL. 



229 



said, she had asked God to give her a son, and He 




HANNAH PRAYING. 



had answered her 
prayer. Hannah 
was very glad 
when Samuel was 
born, and she 
thanked God, and 
sang a hymn, of 
praise for her 
dear little child. 
While Samuel was 
a baby, Hannah did 
not go up to Shiloh 
with her husband; 
she said she would 
wait until the boy 
was old enough to 
be without her, 
and then she would 
take him up to the 
tabernacle, that he 
might stay there 
always. For Han- 
nah had not for- 
gotten her promise 
to the Lord; and 
she was going to 
let Samuel live at 

serve the Lord all 



the tabernacle, and wait upon Eli and the priests, and 
his life. 

And Elkanah, her husband, said unto 
her, Do what seemeth thee good. So Han- 
nah stayed at her home till her little son was 
old enough to be left at the tabernacle. 
Then she took him up with her, also three 
bullocks, and some flour, and a bottle of 
wine, and brought him to the house of the 
Lord in Shiloh. And Elkanah, his father, 
offered sacrifice, and brought the child to 
Eli. And Hannah said to Eli, O, my lord, 
I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For 
this child I prayed, and the Lord has given me the wish of my heart. 
Therefore I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he shall be 





1» f lUti] 


HJgy, « 


ftl J| 








1 Iv^'^/?l 




^r r *zr-*^>**^\ 



HANNAH AND LITTLE SAMUEL. 



2 70 



THE BIRTH AND DEDICATION OF SAMUEL. 



lent to the Lord. And Samuel bowed down before the Lord, and prayed 

to Him there. 
Then Hannah 
sang a beautiful 
song of thanks- 
giving to the 
Lord, and she 
and Elkanah re- 
turned to their 
home in Ram ah, 
leaving little 
Samuel with Eli. 
Now the two 
sons of Eli were 
H o p h n i 
Phinehas. 
they were 
wicked 
thousfh 




LITTLE SAMUEL PRAYING. 



and 
And 
very 
men, al- 
they 
were priests. 
Besides doing 
other sinful 
things, they took 
more than their 
share of the of- 
ferings which 
the people 

brought to the Lord, and thus made themselves rich by thus stealing from 
the Lord and His people. And the people of Israel were* very much dis- 
pleased with their bad priests. 

But Samuel, although but a child, ministered before the Lord, girded 
with a linen ephod, such as was worn by the 
priests. Every year when his mother came 
up with his father to offer the yearly sacrifice, 
she brought Samuel a little coat. And Eli 
blessed Elkanah and his wife, because they 
lent Samuel to the Lord. And the child Sam- 
uel grew before the Lord. 

Now Eli was very old, and he heard of the 
wicked things which his sons did to the peo- 
ple of Israel. And he said unto them, Why 
do ye such things? For I hear of your evil 




ELI IN HIS OLD AGE. 



THE BIRTH AND DEDICATION OF SAMUEL. 



doings from all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good tale that I 
hear: ye make the Lord's people sin. Eli grieved about his sons' bad 
life, but he did not punish them as he ought. 

Then a man of God came and warned Eli of how the Lord blamed 
him for letting his sons do such wrong things. And he told Eli that He 
would cut short his life, and his two sons should both die in one day — for 
God had said, Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise 
me shall be lightly esteemed. And the Lord said He would raise up a 
faithful priest in the place of Eli. 

And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. One 

night, when both Eli and Sam- 
uel had lain down to sleep, the 
Lord called Samuel; and he 
answered, Here am I. And 
he ran to Eli, and said, Here 
am I. For he thought Eli had 
called him. But Eli said, I 
called not; lie down again. 
And he went and lay down. 
And the Lord called again, 
Samuel. And Samuel arose 
and went to Eli, and said, 
Here am I; for thou didst call 
me. And Eli answered, I 
called not, my son; lie down 
again. Now Samuel did not 
know it was the Lord's voice. 
And the Lord called Samuel 
again the third time. And 

THE YEARLY VISIT OP SAMUKL S PARENT^ ne al * OSe an0 - Wdlt tO Hill, 

and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli knew that the 
Lord had called the child. Therefore he said to Samuel, Go, lie down; 
and if He call thee, say, Speak, Lord ; for thy 
servant heareth. 

So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 
And the Lord came and called as at other 
times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel an- 
swered, Speak, Lord ; for thy servant hear- 
eth. And the Lord told Samuel that He 
would do to Eli all the things which He had 
spoken through the man of God, because his 
sons had made themselves vile, and he ^ad samuel answering. 





232 



THE PHILISTINES TAKE THE ARK. 



not checked them. And 
arose and opened the doors 
of the house of the Lord as 
usual. And Samuel feared 
to tell Eli what the Lord' 
had said to him. Then Eli 
called Samuel, and said, 
Samuel, my son. And he 
answered, Here am I. 
Then Eli asked him what 
the Lord had said to him, 
and told him not to hide it 
from him. Then Samuel 
told him every word, and 
hid nothing from him. 
And Eli said, It is the Lord ; 
let Him do what seemeth 
Him good. 

And Samuel grew, and 
the Lord was with him, and 
all Israel knew that he was 
made a prophet of the 
Lord. So the Lord ap- 
peared again in Shiloh at 
the tabernacle by his words to Samuel. 



Samuel lay until the morning, and then 




ELI AND SAMUEL. 



The Philistines Take the Ark. 



/ Samuel iv. 1140 B. C. 

ND now the people of Israel went to battle 
with the Philistines, and encamped near 
Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched their 
camp in Appek. And when they joined 
battle, the Israelites were beaten by the 
Philistines, who killed about four thousand 
of them. And when the Israelites came 
back to their camp after the battle, the eld- 
ers said, Why hath the Lord let the Phil- 
istines slay so many of our men to-day? 
Then they said, Let us bring the ark out of 
the tabernacle at Shiloh, into the army, and it may save us from our ene- 
mies. 




SAMUEL AND ELI. 233 

So the people sent to Shiloh for the ark; and the two sons of Eli, 
Hophni and Phinehas, came with it. When the ark came into the camp, 
all the Israelites shouted for joy. And when the Philistines heard the 
noise of their shouting, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great 
shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they found out that the ark of 
the Lord had come into the camp. And they were afraid, and said, God 
is come into the camp. For they remembered how the God of the Isra- 
elites had brought them out of Egypt, by sending the plague upon the 
Egyptians. And they said, Woe unto us; for they thought that now God 
would destroy them. But they said, Be strong, and act like men, O, ye 
Philistines, that ye may not be servants to the Hebrews. 

And the Philistines fought with the Israelites again, and killed thirty 
thousand men. And they took the ark of God; and the two sons of Eli, 
Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. And there ran a man of Israel out of 
the army, and came to Shiloh where Eli was, that same day. His clothes 
were tent, and he had earth on his head, to show that he had sad news to 
tell. And Eli was sitting on a seat by the wayside watching; for he was 
afraid for the safety of the ark, which had been taken away from his care. 
And when the man came into the city, and told the sad news, all the 
people cried out. 

When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth this 
great noise? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. Now Eli was 
ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see. 
And the man said to Eli, I came out of the army to-day. And Eli asked 
him, what was done there. The messenger answered, The men of Israel 
have fled before the Philistines, and there have been a great many of the 
people killed, and thy two sons, also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and 
the ark of God is taken. When the man spoke of the ark of God, Eli 
fell off from his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, 
and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. For forty years Eli had 
judged the people of Israel, and served as High Priest. 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



OF Bible boys, Samuel is a chief favorite. The reason is, nothing un- 
der the sun is more beautiful than piety in childhood. There is 
nothing like grace for making the young graceful. Martin Luther, 
in his gentler moments, dwelt with great tenderness on the boyhood of 
Samuel. He found in him what he longed to see in his own boys, and in 
all boys. 

The whole history of a child of God is, in a nutshell, found in the call 
and answer of Samuel. When the Lord called, Samuel, Samuel, the boy 
at once answered, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. 

God speaks to us now in His Providence in His Word, by His Spirit. 
15 



234 



THE ARK AMONG THE PHILISTINES. 



The ear is one of the main gateways of the soul. But far more wonder- 
ful is the inner ear of the heart or conscience, by which we hear the voice 
of God. If we do not at first know that it is the voice of God speaking 
to us, He will speak again and again. Then let us be ready to obey, as 
was Samuel. The obedience of Samuel was prompt, hearty, and life long. 
His motto all through life was, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. 
Let that be our motto. 

Eli was an amiable, kind and devout man, but he lacked moral resolu- 
tion and enterprise. He was weak and indolent. He did not discharge 
with vigor the duties of his high position. His sons were a disgrace to their 
father, and to the sacred office to which they had been appointed. Eli 
loved them dearly as a father should, but when they would not listen to 
his words of counsel, he should have removed them, as he could have 
done, from their position. There comes a time in the discipline of chil- 
dren, when talk alone will not do. 

Eli still more dearly loved the ark of God. When this sacred symbol 
and dwelling place of the Divine power was taken, it broke the good man's 
heart. His sons brought down his gray hairs in sorrow to the grave. Let 
us never bring pangs and pains to a loving parent's heart. 



The Ark Among the Philistines. 




/ Samuel v-vii. 1140 B. C. 

HEN the Philistines had taken the ark from 
the children of Israel, they carried it to one 
of their cities, called Ashdod, where they 
had a temple, or very fine house, for one of 
their chief idols, whose name was Dagon. 
And they took the ark into the temple of 
Dagon, and set it down by the idol. They 
left the ark there all night; and in the 
morning they rose up early, and when they 
came into the idol's house, they found that 
Dagon had fallen down from his high place, 
and was lying upon his face before the ark. 

The Philistines wondered at this; for they could not believe that it 
was God who had thrown their idol down. Then they lifted up Dagon, 
and set him in his place again near the ark. And they left the ark there 
another night. And when they went, early in the morning, into Dagon's 
house, the idol was fallen down again upon its face, before the ark; but 
this time, Dagon's head and hands were broken off from his body. After 
that the Lord sent a great sickness upon the people of Ashdod, and a 
great many of them died. And the men of Ashdod said, that the ark of 



THE ARK AMONG THE PHILISTINES. 



2 35 



the God of Israel should not stay among them any longer. They began 
to think, now, that it was God who had thrown down their idol, and 
sent the plague among them. 

ii ini iiM i ll" 1 ■■■!■— —MM'wi iii iai M. iwii umijy And they called 

all the lords of the 
Philistines togeth- 
er, and asked them, 
saying, What shall 
we do with the ark 
of the God of Isra- 
el? And they said, 
Let the ark be car- 
ried unto G a t h, 
(which was one of 
the cities of the 
Philistines). And 
they carried the ark 
to Gath. Then a 
severe sickness 
came upon the peo- 
ple of Gath, while 
the ark was with 
them. Then they 
carried it to Ekron, 
another of their cit- 
ies. And a very 
great sickness came 
upon the people of 
the fall op dagon. Ekron. For seven 

months the ark was in the country of the Philistines, causing great trouble 
among them. 

Then the Philistines called together their wise men, and asked them, 
What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us where we shall send 
it. And these wise men told them to make a new cart, and to take two 
cows, upon which a yoke had never been placed, and to leave their calves 
at home. In that country they used cows as we do oxen. They told 
them, also, to put jewels of gold in a box by the side of the ark in the 
cart. Then they told them to let the cows go which way they, would. 
And if they should go straight towards the land of Israel, away from their 
calves, then the people might know that the Lord had sent all this trouble 
and sickness upon them for keeping the ark. But if the cows should not 
go that way, then the Philistines might know that all their afflictions had 
come by chance. 




236 



SAMUEL IS MADE JUDGE. 



So the Philistines did as the wise men told them to do. And the 
cows went straight along the highway towards the land of Israel, low- 
ing as they went. And the lords of the Philistines went after them, until 
they came to a city called Beth-shemesh. The children of Israel living in 
Beth-shemesh were in the valley near the city, reaping the wheat harvest 
which was ready at this time. When they saw the ark coming, they were 
filled with joy. The cows brought the ark into the field of a man 
named Joshua, and stood still, near a great stone. Then the Levites took 
the ark out of the cart, and the box with the jewels of gold, and put them 
on the great stone. Then they cut up the wood of the cart, and killed 
the oxen, and put them on the wood, and offered 
them as a sacrifice unto the Lord. The five lords 
of the Philistines saw what was done, and then 
went back to Ekron, which was about twelve 
miles distant, the same day. 

But the people of Beth-shemesh did something 
which was very displeasing to God, with the ark. 
They were commanded not to look into it, nor 
touch it, for it was to be kept sacred, and was to 
be in the charge of the Levites. So the Lord 
punished them, and a great many of them died for their sin. Then the 
people of Beth-shemesh sent messengers to the people of Kirjath-jearim 
to come and take away the ark. And they did so, and took it into the 
house of a man named Aminadab. And his son Eleazar was set apart to 
keep it. 

Samuel is Made Judge. The Israelites De- 
sire a King. 




THE PEOPLE SEEING >HE ARK 
COMING. 




1 Samuel vii-viii. 1140-1120 B. C. 

FTER the death of Eli, Samuel was made 
judge, by the Lord, over Israel. At Ramah, 
the place where he lived, he ruled over 
Israel and there he built an altar unto the 
Lord. He went from year to year to Bethel 
and Gilgal and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in 
those places. The ark of God, as we have 
read, was at Kirjath-jearim. For about 
eighty-two years it remained at that place, 
and was not removed to Shiloh, where the 
tabernacle still stood. Although the ark 
was absent from Shiloh, yet it is very prob- 



SAMUEL IS MADE JUDGE. 



237 




able that the priests ministered there at the tabernacle. When Samuel 

began to be judge, he was about twenty years 
of age. For about twenty years after the be- 
ginning of his rule, the children of Israel were 
oppressed by the Philistines, because they had 
sinned, and had worshipped the idols called 
Baal and Ashtaroth, which stood for the sun 
and moon. At the end of this time, the people 
began to repent of their sins, and asked the 
Lord to forgive them, and deliver them from 

their enemies. 

Then Samuel, who was now not only a judge, but a prophet — that is 

one who knew and told to the people the will of the Lord — called the 

children of Israel together and spoke to them. 

He said, If you will return unto the Lord with 

all your hearts, and put away your strange gods 

and serve the Lord only, He will deliver you 

out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the 

people did as Samuel commanded them. And 

they came to Mizpeh, and prayed, and fasted, 

and confessed their sins saying, We have sinned 

against the Lord. 




THE ARK RECEIVED AT 
JEARIM. 



When the Philistines heard that the chil- 
dren of Israel were at Mizpeh, the lords of the 
Philistines led an army up to fight against them. And the people were 
afraid, for they were not ready for war. And they said to Samuel, Cease 
not to cry unto the Lord for us, that He may save us from the Philistines. 
Then Samuel took a little lamb, and offered it up for a sacrifice unto the 
Lord. And Samuel prayed earnestly to the Lord for the people, and the 
Lord heard him. For while Samuel was offering up the sacrifice and 
praving, the Philistines came in battle array. And the Lord sent a terri- 
ble storm of thunder and lightning against the 
Philistines. And they became frightened, and 
ran away. And the children of Israel hurried 
out of Mizpeh, and went after their enemies, 
and killed a great number of them, and fol- 
lowed the rest as far as Beth-car. Then Sam- 
uel took a stone, and set it up as a memorial, 
in honor of the great victory. And he called 
the stone Ebenezer, which means the help 
f i./ii,.7 ^~ stone; and he said, Hitherto hath the Lord 

THE STORM OP THUNDER AND , , , „, . -^ , . , . . . ■, • 

lighting. helped us. So the Philistines were driven out, 





SAMUEL S SONS. 



238 THE ISRAELITES DESIRE A KING. 

and the Lord kept them from subduing the people, while Samuel was 
judge. 

Samuel was now growing old, being about sixty-four years of age. 
And he made his two sons, the elder of whom was named Joel, and the 
other Abiah, judges over Israel, to help him in his difficult work. But 
these sons were not good men like their father 
Samuel. They were too fond of money. They 
took presents from the men who came before 
them to plead their cases, and gave decisions 
which were not just and right. This means they *§ 
took bribes, which no judge should ever take. j|| 

Then all the elders of Israel came to Samuel 
at Mizpeh. And they said to him, Behold, thou 
art old, and thy sons do not do right as thou doest. 
Now make us a king to judge us, like other na- 
tions. Samuel was displeased when he heard this request. As his sons 
did not do what was right, it was proper that they should not serve as 
judges any longer. But Samuel knew that it would not be best for the 
people to have a king. It would be far better for them to have the Lord 
continue as their king, and to have judges under Him. And Samuel 
prayed unto the Lord about it. And the Lord told him to listen to all 
that the elders had to say to him. He also said to him, they have not put 
thee aside, but they have said, in fact, that I should not reign over them. 

Then Samuel told them the words of the Lord, and showed them 
what kind of a king they would have, if they had one like the nations 
about them. This king would take their young men to be the drivers of 
his chariots, and to be his horsemen. He would make some of them run 
before his chariot. He would take them to be his farmers, and his work- 
men. He would take their young women to be his confectioners, or 
cooks, and to bake in his kitchen. He would take the best of their fields 
and their vineyards, and their olive yards, and give them to his servants. 
He would take a tenth of all they could raise out of the ground, and of 
their vineyards, and give it to his officers and servants. He would also 
take a tenth of their sheep and cattle. He would use their men-servants, 
and maid-servants, and the best of the young men and of the beasts, for 
his own service. And then, when the people would be sorry they had 
such a king, and should cry to the Lord to deliver them from him, the 
Lord would not hear them. 

But the people -would not give heed to what Samuel said. And they 
cried out, Nay, but we will have a king over us. Then the Lord told 
Samuel to make them a king. And Samuel said to them, Go ye every 
man to his own city. 



SAUL CHOSEN KING. 



239 



Saul Chosen Kihg. 



/ Samuel ix-x. 1005 ■&• C- 

OW there was a man of the tribe of Ben- 
jamin whose name was Kish. And he 
had a son whose name was Saul, a hand- 
some young man, and goodly. He was 
very tall, being head and shoulders 
higher than any of the children of Isra- 
el ; and there was no one better looking 
among all the people than he. The 
asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. 
And Kish said to Saul, Take one of the 
saul anointed king. servants with thee, and go and seek the 

asses. And Saul went over the country about Mount Ephraim, and 
through different portions of the land a long way off, but could not find 
them. And Saul said to his servant, Come and let us go back, lest my 
father stop caring for the asses, and be anxious for us. But the servant 
said, There is in this city, which is near us, a prophet of God, and what he 
says will come to pass, will be true. Perhaps he can show us where we 
can find the asses. Then Saul said, but if we go, we ought to make him 
a present, and we have eaten all the bread we brought with us. And the 





THE MEETING OF SAMUEL AND SAUL. 



240 



SAUL CHOSEN KING. 



servant said, I have a small sum of money with me, which I will give to 
the man of God to tell us our way. Then Saul said, That is well, let us 
go. So they went unto the prophet in the city. And as they went up 
the hill to the city, they found some young maidens going out to draw 
water. And they said to them, Is the prophet here ? And they answered 
him, He is. He is just before you. Make haste now, for he came to the 
city to-day, for there is a sacrifice of the people in the high place. So 
they went and found Samuel, the prophet. 




SAMUEL ANOINTING SAUL. 

Now the Lord had told Samuel the day before Saul came, that he 
would send to him a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who should be king, 
and save the children of Israel from the Philistines. And when Samuel 
saw Saul, the Lord said to Samuel, This is the man of whom I spoke to 
thee. He shall reign over my people. And Saul came up to Samuel, and 



SAUL CHOSEN KING. 241 

said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the prophet's house is. And Samuel 
said, I am the prophet. And Samuel requested Saul to go up with him 
where the people were sacrificing, and to stop with him that day and the 
next. And he told him that the asses, which were lost, had been found, 
so he need not think about them any more. And Samuel took Saul and 
his servant into his parlor, and gave them the very best place at a feast 
which he made, to which thirty persons had been invited. And Samuel 
told the cook to bring the choice meat which he had saved, and he set it 
before Saul. And Samuel told Saul to eat it, for it had been saved for 
him. So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 

Early the next morning, Samuel called Saul to the top of the flat roof 
of the house, to talk with him alone. Then, after talking together, they 
went down towards the end of the city. And Samuel told Saul to send 
the servant on before them, for he wished to show him what the Lord had 
said about him. Then Samuel took a vial, or bottle of oil, and poured it 
on Saul's head, and anointed him to be king over Israel. Then Samuel 
kissed him, and told him to go back to his father's house. He told him 
he would meet on the way two men, who would tell him that his father 
had found the asses, and was troubled because he had not come back. He 
also told him that he would meet three men who would give him two 
loaves of bread. He further told him that he would meet a company of 
prophets with instruments of music, and that the Spirit of the Lord would 
come upon him, and he should prophesy with them. All this came true 
as Saul went home. 

A short time after this, Samuel called the people together at Mizpeh, 
and told them how the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, and set 
them free from all their enemies. But they had asked for a king to rule 
over them, instead of the Lord. And now the Lord was to give them a 
king. So the Lord chose Saul before all the people, to be their king. 
But when the people looked for Saul, they could not find him. Then 
they asked the Lord, if indeed Saul was to become king, and where he 
was to be found. And the Lord told them that he had hidden himself 
among the stuff, or baggage. And the people ran and brought Saul out. 
And when he stood among them, he was higher than any of them, from 
his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to the people, See him, 
whom the Lord hath chosen, there is none like him among all the people. 
And they all shouted, God save the king. 

Then Samuel wrote down the law which the king was to follow, in 
his rule over the people. And after this he sent the people away to their 
homes. And Saul also went home to Gibeah. But there were some peo- 
ple, the children of Belial, who did not like Saul. And they despised 
him, and gave him no presents. 



242 



SAUL CHOSEN KING. 



Soon after, the Ammonites came up to fight against the city of Jabesh- 
gilead. The peo- 
ple in the city were 
afraid of the Am- 
monites, and wished 
to make this agree- 
ment with them, 
that they would 
serve the Ammon- 
ites if the Ammon- 
ites would be 
friends with them. 
The Ammonites 
said they would 
this 
only 
-they 
put out the right 
eyes of all the men 
in the city. Now 
they wanted to do 
this, so that the men 
of the city could 
not see to fight any 
more. For they 
would not be able 
to see with their 



make 
ment 
them- 



agree- 

with 

would 




SAUL PROCLAIMED KING. 



left eyes as they would be covered with the shield in battle. The cruel 
Ammonites wanted to do this, also, that all the children of Israel might be 
put to shame. 

Then the men of Jabesh-gilead asked the Ammonites to give them 
seven days to think over the matter, and promised that they would then 
come out of the city, if no one came to help them. 

The men of the city then sent messengers to Saul, who was in Gibeah. 
Before seeing him, they told the people what the Ammonites had said. 
And all the people wept greatly, and cried out with grief. Saul, who 
was in the field with his cattle, heard the noise of the weeping and wail- 
ing, and asked, what ails the people that they weep? And they told him 
the reason. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and he was an- 
gry with the Ammonites. And he took a yoke of oxen, and killed them, 
and cut them in pieces, and sent them by messengers to different parts of 
the country, and told the messengers to say, that if the people did not come 



SAUL CHOSEN KING. 243 

to help Saul and Samuel fight against the Ammonites, their oxen should 
be cut in pieces in like manner. And an army of three hundred and thirty 
thousand men came quickly together. And messengers were sent to 
the men of Jabesh-gilead on the sixth day to tell them that the next day, 
by the time the sun was hot, they should have help. So, early in the 
morning, Saul, with his army, marched against the Ammonites, and slew 
them and scattered them, so that two of them were not left together. 
Then Saul, and Samuel, and the people, went to Gilgal and offered sacri- 
fices to the Lord, and they all rejoiced greatly. 

After this, Samuel called the people together, and told them that he was 
now old and gray headed, and that he had made a king for them as they 
had wished. He said that from a child he had been with them. He 
asked them, if he had taken from any of them, his ox, or his ass, or wheth- 
er he had taken anything wrongfully, or whether he had treated any of 
them cruelly or unkindly, or whether he had taken a bribe from any of 
them. If he had done so, he wanted them to tell him, and he would give 
back to them what was their own. And the people said, Thou hast not 
done wrongfully to us, nor treated us cruelly or unkindly, i?or taken any 
bribe. Then he told them what the Lord had done for their fathers and 
for them. And he said, although they had done wrong in asking for a 
king, if they would obey and serve the Lord, He would bless them ; but 
if not, He would punish them. Then he asked them, Is it not wheat har- 
vest to-day, when there is no sign of rain? I will call upon the Lord, and 
He will send thunder and rain, that you may see how wrong it is for you 
to have asked for a king. So Samuel called unto the Lord, and the Lord 
sent thunder and rain that day ; and all the people greatly feared the Lord 
and Samuel. And the people asked Samuel earnestly to pray for them, 
that they might not die. 

And Samuel said to them, Fear not. You have done wickedly, but if 
you serve the Lord with all your heart, the Lord will not forsake His 
people, and it hath pleased the Lord to make you His people. But if you 
do wickedly, you shall be destroyed, both you and your king. 



244 



SAUL DISOBEYS THE LORD AT GILGAL. 



Saul Disobeys the Lord at Gilgal. Jonathan 
ahd his Armor-Bearer 




/ Samuel xiii. 1095-1093 B. C. 

HEN Saul had been king over Israel two years, 
he chose three thousand men for soldiers. He 
made his son Jonathan captain over one thous- 
and of them, while he himself led the other 
two thousand. And Jonathan went against 
some of the Philistines who had come into the 
land of Israel, and slew them with the sword. 
And when the Philistines heard of it, they 
gathered together a very great army, and 
came up with thirty thousand chariots, and six 
thousand horsemen, and so many soldiers that 
they could not be counted. When the people 
saw their enemies coming against them in 
such numbers, they fled in great fear, and hid themselves in caves, and in 
the woods, and among the rocks, and on the mountains, and in holes in 
the earth. Some of them fled into the land of Gilead, on the other side of 
the Jordan, where the two and a half tribes lived. A few of the people 
followed after Saul, but they were in great fear. 

Now Samuel had promised to meet Saul at Gilgal, and had commanded 
him to wait there till he should come, so that Samuel might offer up burnt- 
offerings and peace-offerings, and afterwards tell Saul what he should do. 
And when Saul came to Gilgal, he waited there 
seven days for the coming of Samuel. Then, 
when he did not come, Saul grew tired of wait- 
ing, and commanded that a burnt offering should 
be brought to him ; and he offered up the burnt 
offering himself. No sooner had he done this, 
than Samuel came, and Saul went to meet him. 

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? 
Then Saul tried to excuse himself, and said that 
the people were leaving him, and he was afraid to 
wait any longer, lest the Philistines should come against him; and so, 
when he saw that Samuel did not come, he had offered up the burnt of- 
fering himself. But Samuel said that Saul had sinned against the Lord, 
and disobeyed His commandment, and therefore the Lord would take the 
kingdom away from him, and set another man over it. Then Samuel 




SAUL GOING TO GILGAL. 



THE VICTORY OF JONATHAN AND HIS ARMOR-BEARER. 



; 45 



rose up and went away. And Saul numbered 
the people that were with him, and found there 
were about six hundred men. And he, and Jon- 
athan, his son, and all the people that were with 
them, came to the city of Gibeah, but the Philis- 
tines were encamped at Michmash. 



H^XgjP 




SAilUEL REPROVING SAUL. 



The Yictory of Jonathan 

Bearer. 



and his Armor- 




/ Sa?nuel xiv. io8y B. C. 

OW the Philistines had overrun the whole 

land of Israel, and held all the strong places, 

and for a long time the children of Israel 

had been their servants. They would not 

/PM&^^=-' - "HPPI5& even let a smith live among the Israelites, 

J> \ ^■g^^Bj^j!' I \j: *kat they might not be able to have swords 

J 1 >9 rf~*l ■--B& - -< ° r s P ears ma de, to use in fighting; and the 

Israelites had to go into the Philistines' 
country, to get their axes and plowshares 
made, and to sharpen the long sticks tipped 
with iron, with which they drove the oxen. 
So when the day of battle came, no one 
among the children of Israel had either a sword or a spear, except Saul 
and his son Jonathan ; all the rest of the people had nothing better to fight 
with than axes, and mattocks, and goads. At this time armor was worn 
by soldiers made of iron, or brass. They carried shields also, made of 
strong boards, covered with the dried skins of animals. When the men 
went into battle, they held these shields up in front of them, so as to keep 
the darts and arrows of their enemies from hurting them. Saul and Jon- 
athan wore armor, and they had each a soldier to carry his spear and 
shield for him, when he was not using them. This soldier was called an 
armor-bearer. 

One day Jonathan asked his armor-bearer to go with him over to the 
camp of the Philistines. It may be, he said, that the Lord will fight for 
us, and give us the victory over these heathen people. And the armor- 
bearer said he would go with him wherever he went. Then Jonathan 
told him how they would find out whether the Lord was going to help 




AND HIS 



246 THE VICTORY OF JONATHAN AND HIS ARMOR-BEARER. 

them or not. We will go and show ourselves to the Philistines, he said, 
and if they tell us to wait until they come to us, we will not go any fur- 
ther, for the Lord is not going to help us. But if the Philistines shall 
say, Come up to us, then we will go up, for the Lord will give us the vic- 
tory over them. 

Then Jonathan and his armor-bearer set out, along a steep rugged path, 
and by-and-by they came below the high rocky 
hill where the Philistines were encamped. And 
when the Philistines saw them, they said, See, 
the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where 
they have been hiding themselves. And they 
called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, 
Come up to us, and we will show you something. 
When Jonathan heard them say this, he told his 
armor-bearer to follow him, for the Lord would 
give the Philistines into their hands. Then Jon- " beabbbT 

athan climbed up over the rocks on his hands and feet, and his armor- 
bearer followed after him. And they came into the camp of the Philis- 
tines, and fell upon them at once, and slew about twenty of them. And 
the Lord made the earth shake beneath them, so that all the army of the 
Philistines was seized with fear. 

Now Jonathan had not told Saul what he was going to do, and it was 
not known that he had gone against the enemy; but Saul's watchman 
looked out towards the camp of the Philistines, and saw men fighting 
there, and he went and told Saul of it. Then Saul commanded that the 
men who were with him should be counted, that he might find out who 
among them had gone from the camp. And when they were counted, 
it was found that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were missing. And Saul 
gathered all his men together, and went over to join in the battle. And 
the Israelites that were with the Philistines before that time, now turned 
against them. Many of those, also, who before had been afraid, and hid- 
den in the mountains, went after the Philistines, and the Lord helped the 
children of Israel, and the Philistines fled before them. 

But the men of Israel suffered much on that day, for Saul had said 
that no man should eat anything until evening, because he did not want 
them to stop going after their enemies. So none of the people ate of any 
food. And they came to a wood where honey was dropping on the 
ground from a nest, which the wild bees had made in the trees; yet the 
men did not dare' to eat of it, although they were very hungry. But 
Jonathan had not heard what his father had said to the people, and he 
dipped the end of the staff that was in his hand into the honey-comb, and 
put the honey into his mouth. And one of the men told him how Saul, 



SAUL AND THE AMALEKITES. 



2 47 



his father, had said that the people should not eat anything until evening. 
But Jonathan said that if the people had been allowed to eat food, they 
would have been better able to go after their enemies, and put more of 
them to death. 

When Saul heard that Jonathan had eaten of the honey, he was very 
angry with him, because he disobeyed his command ; and he said to him, 
Thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. But the people told Saul that it was 
through Jonathan the Israelites had gained so great a victory over their 
enemies; and they said very earnestly, that no harm should be done to 
him. So they saved Jonathan from being put to death. 



Saul and the Amalekites. 




SAUL REJECTED. 



I Samuel xv. io8j B. C. 

OON after the children of Israel came out 
of Egypt, as we have read, a nation, 
called the Amalekites, made war upon 
them, although they had done the Amal- 
ekites no harm. These Amalekites were 
cruel robbers, that lived in the mountains 
near the land of Canaan, and they used 
to fall upon peaceful people, and kill 
them; and take their flocks and herds, 
and all that they had. And the Lord 
told Samuel that the wicked Amalekites 
must be punished for making war upon the Israelites. So God sent Sam- 
uel with a message to Saul and his brave men, telling them to go out and 
fight against the Amalekites, and slay them all with the sword; but God 
said that none of their cattle, nor any of their riches, was to be kept by the 
Israelites; everything that they had must be destroyed. 

And Saul gathered a great army of more than two hundred thousand 
men, and went and fought against the Amalekites. And the Israelites 
won the battle, and slew all the Amalekites, except their king, Agag, 
whom Saul saved alive. And when the people saw such fine cattle and 
sheep, they w^ould not obey God, but went and took them for themselves. 
They put to death only the poor and mean, which they did not care for, and 
helped themselves to the best. And the Lord was very angry with Saul, 
and he spoke to Samuel, and said, I repent of having made Saul king, for 
he has not done as I commanded him. Samuel was very much grieved 
to hear this, and he prayed to the Lord all night. 

The next morning, Samuel went to look for Saul, for God had told 



248 



SAUL AND THE AMALEKITES. 




SAUL TAKING HOLD OF SAMUEL. 



him many things that he must say to him. Now Saul did not know that 

Samuel knew of his wickedness; and when Samuel met him, Saul talked 

as if he had done what he was told, and said, Blessed be thou of the Lord ; 

I have obeyed the commandment of the Lord. 

But Samuel said, What meaneth, then, this 

bleating of the sheep, and the lowing of the 

oxen, which I hear? Then Saul wanted to 

make excuses for himself, and he told Samuel 

that the people had saved the best of the sheep 

and the oxen, to offer them as sacrifices unto the 

Lord; but all the rest they had destroyed. This 

was not the first time that Saul had disobeyed 

God. It was wrong for him to lay the blame 

upon the people. He should have made them do what was right, since 

he was their king. 

And Samuel asked Saul whether the Lord would be better pleased to 
have sacrifices offered up to Him, than he would be to have his commands 
obeyed. To obey, Samuel said, is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, 
than the fat of rams. And he told Saul that it was no worse to worship 
idols, than it was to go on disobeying the commands of the Lord; and 
since Saul had disobeyed the word of the Lord, Samuel said, the Lord 
would put him away from being king. When Saul heard this he was 
much frightened, and he begged Samuel to stay with him, and pray that 
the Lord would forgive him ; but Samuel would not stay. Then Saul 
took hold of Samuel's cloak to keep him from going away, and he tore 




SAMUEL PRATING FOR SAUL. 



THE ANOINTING OF DAVID. 



249 



the cloak. And Samuel stopped, and said to Saul, The Lord has torn the 
kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and given it to a man that is better 
than thou, and he will not change his mind. 

But Saul begged Samuel very much to stay with him, and pray to 
God for him, that the people might not know that the Lord was angry 
with him. At last Samuel said that he would stay and worship God with 
him. Then Samuel wanted to see Agag, the king of the Amalekites, 
whom Saul had saved alive. This king was a very wicked, cruel man, 
and God had said that he should be put to death, because he had done so 
much evil. Agag hoped, that as Saul had not killed him, his life would 
be saved; but Samuel took a sword and slew him. After that Samuel 
left Saul, and never came to see him any more. 



The Ahoihtihg of David. 




/ Samuel xvi. 1079 B* C« 



OR a lorn 



time Samuel grieved because Saul had 
done wrong. And the Lord asked him why he 
had grieved so long for Saul, whom he had put 
away from being king. And he told Samuel to 
fill his horn with oil, and go to a man named 
Jesse, who lived in the city of Bethlehem, and 
there anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king. But 
Samuel said, How can I go? for if Saul hear of 
it, he will kill me. Then the Lord said, Take a 
heifer with thee, to offer up as a sacrifice there, 
and call Jesse to come to the sacrifice. After 
that, the Lord said he would make known to 
Samuel which one of Jesse's sons should be 
anointed. So Samuel did as the Lord command- 
ed; and when he came to Bethlehem, and made ready the sacrifice, he 
asked Jesse and his sons to come to it. 

Jesse was an old man, and had many sons, who were grown up to be 
men. And Samuel looked at the eldest of Jesse's sons, to see whether he 
was the man that God had chosen to be king. Now this son was a very 
tall, fine looking man, who seemed fit to be a king, and Samuel said to 
himself, Surely this is the one that the Lord will bid me anoint. But the 
Lord told him that He had not chosen this one. Then Samuel looked at 
Jesse's second son; but when he saw him, he knew that God had not 
chosen him. Then Jesse called his third son; but the Lord did not choose 
him. And Jesse caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel ; yet the 
Lord told him that the chosen one was not among these. 



250 



THE ANOINTING OF DAVID. 




SAMUEL ANOINTING DAVID. 



Then Samuel said to Jesse, Are thy children all here? Jesse answered 
that he had yet one more child, the youngest, but he was watching the 
sheep. And Samuel told Jesse to send for him at 
once. So a messenger was seijt for Jesse's 
youngest son, and he was brought before Samuel. 
Now the name of this son was David, and he had 
a beautiful color on his cheeks, and his face was 
pleasant to look at. When he came in, God said 
to Samuel, Arise, and anoint him, for this is he. 
Then Samuel took the anointing oil, and poured 
it on David's head, and anointed him, while his 
seven brothers stood by. So David was the 
anointed of the Lord, and in time to come he would be king over Israel. 
But he must wait long and patiently first, until the Lord should put Saul 
away from being king. 




THE TRUTHFUL DAVID. 



DAVID PLAYS BEFORE SAUL. 



2 5* 



Dayid Plays Before Saul. 




/ Samuel xvi. 1079 B. C. 

N a short time after Samuel had poured the oil 
on David's head, the Spirit of the Lord came 
into David, to make him fit to be a king; but 
the Spirit of the Lord went away from Saul. 
And Saul was very unhappy, because God had 
let a wicked spirit come into him. The Bible 
tells us that there are good spirits, called an- 
gels, that serve God, and watch over those 
who love Him. It tells us, dso, that there are 
evil spirits that serve Satan, and try to make 
people do wrong. Now one of these evil 
spirits had come into Saul, and troubled him. 
And when Saul's servants saw that he had an 
evil spirit in him, they asked Saul to let them 
look for a man who could play well on the 
harp, and when the evil spirit troubled him, that man, they said, should 
come and play before Saul, and then he might get well. 

And Saul said to his servants, Go and fine! me a man that can play 
well, and bring him to me. Now one of the servants had heard of David, 
and he said to Saul, I have seen one of the sons of Jesse, who lives at 
Bethlehem, and he can play well on the harp; and besides this, he is very 
brave, and wise in speech, and he is handsome, and the Lord is with him. 
Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and told him to send David, his son, 
who kept the sheep. But Saul did not know that Samuel had anointed 
David to be king. Then Jesse took an ass, and loaded it with bread, and 
a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David as a present to Saul. 
And when Saul saw David, he loved him very much; and he sent 
word to Jesse, that he wished to keep David. So David stayed with Saul 
a long while, and waited upon him, and Saul made him his armor-bearer. 
And when evil spirits troubled Saul, David took his harp, and played 
with his hand, and the sweet music soothed Saul, and gave rest to the soul 
of Saul. At last he grew quite well, and David went away from Saul, 
and kept his father's sheep, as he used to do. 



p^SZS^ 



**$< 




DAVID PLAYING TO SAUL. 



DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH. 



253 



Dayid Slays Goliath. 




I Samuel xvii-xviii. 1063 B. C. 

OW although Saul had beaten the Philis- 
tines, and driven them away, yet^ they 
gathered together another army, and came 
back again, to try to conquer the Israelites. 
And Saul gathered together his army also, 
and went out to meet them. The Philis- 
tines made their camp on one hill, and the 
Israelites encamped on another hill, in 
front of them ; and there was a valley be- 
tween. And there came out in front of 
the Philistines' camp a giant, named Goli- 
ath of Gath ; for there really were giants 
then; and Goliath had three brothers as big as himself. 

Goliath had a helmet, or cap of brass, on his head, and he wore a coat 
of iron; his legs also were covered with brass, so that no enemy might 
wound him with sword or spear. He held a great spear in his hand, and 
he had a great sword in a sheath by his side ; and a man carried a shield 
before him. And he came down into the valley between the two armies, 
and stood where the Israelites could hear him; and he called out to them, 
and told them to choose one of the men of Israel to come down and fight 
with him ; then, if Goliath killed the Israelite, the children of Israel should 
become servants to the Philistines; but if the Israelites killed Goliath, 
then the Philistines should serve the Israelites. And Goliath cried out, 
I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight 
together. 

When Saul and his men heard these words, they were in great fear; 
for no man in Saul's army felt bold or strong enough to go out and fight 
with this giant; and day after day, in the morning and evening, Goliath 
came and walked up and down, and laughed the Israelites to scorn for not 
daring to come out, they who called themselves the servants of God. At 
last David, the shepherd boy, came into camp. He had been feeding his 
father's sheep at Bethlehem, but his three elder brothers were among 
Saul's soldiers. And David's father told him to take some parched corn 
and ten loaves of bread, and carry them to his brethren in the camp, and 
see how they were; and to take ten cheeses also, as a present to his 
brothers' captain. So David rose up very early in the morning, and left 
the sheep in care of a servant, and taking the corn and bread, he went to 
the camp of the Israelites. 



: 54 



DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH. 



And when he came there, the host was going forth to fight, shouting 
their battle-cry. For the Israelites and the Philistines had made ready for 
battle, and their armies stood facing each other. And David left the 
things with the man who had come with him, 
and ran into the army to look for his brothers. 
And while he was talking with them, he saw the 
proud Goliath walking up and down, and daring 
the Israelites to come and fight with him; but 
they fled from him in fear. And David heard 
the men of Israel say among themselves, that if 
any man would kill the Philistine, King Saul 
would give him great riches, and he should have 
the king's daughter for his wife, and his father's 




SAUL AND HIS DAUGHTER. 



good reason for coming 



family should receive honor. Then David asked again, What shall be 
done to the man that shall kill this Philistine? 

And David said, Who is this heathen Philistine, that he should defy 
the armies of the living God? David meant by this, that the men of Is- 
rael we»e God's chosen people, and should not be afraid of this heathen 
giant; and he called God the living God, because all the gods were things 
without life. And David's eldest brother, Eliab, heard him speaking thus, 
and was angry with him, and said, Why hast thou come down here? and 
with whom hast thou left the care of those few sheep in the wilderness? 
I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart, for thou art come 
down to see the battle. But David answered his brother meekly, saying, 
What wrong have I now done? had I not a 
down? And some of the men who had heard 
David's brave words, went and told Saul that 
a young man had just come into the camp, 
who said that he would fight with" the giant. 
So Saul sent for David. And he came and 
stood before Saul ; but though Saul had seen 
him before, he had quite forgotten him. 

And David said to Saul, Let no man's 
heart be afraid because of this Philistine; thy 
servant will go and fight with him. And Saul 
asked him how it was that he, who was only a youth, could dare to think 
of fighting with a man of war like Goliath. David answered, that when 
he was keeping his father's sheep, a lion and a bear had come and tried to 
take a lamb out of the flock ; and God had given him strength to kill both 
the lion and the bear, and saved him from danger; and he trusted that in 
like manner God w T ould help him, if he fought with the giant, to over- 
come him. And Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. 




DAVID BEFORE SAUL. 



DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH. 



■55 




But David had no sword to fight with, nor any armor to wear; so 
Saul dressed him in his own armor, and gave him his own sword. But 
David said that he could not go with the armor 
and sword about him ; and he put them off 
from him. Then he took his shepherd's strong 
staff in His hand, and chose five smooth stones 
* out of the brook, and put them into his shep- 
herd's bag; and with only his staff and his 
sling, he went out to meet the giant. And the 
Philistine "went near to David; and a man 
with a shield went before him. But when 
Goliath saw only a rosy-cheeked youth, wear- david killing the lion. 

ing a shepherd's dress, coming towards him with a staff in his hand, he 
was fierce and angry ; for he had expected to see a great man like him- 
self, dressed, in armor, and carrying a spear and a sword. And the Phil- 
istine said, Am I a dog that thou comest against me with a staff? And 
he called upon his false gods to curse David. Then Goliath began to 

mock at David, and 
said that if he 
would come to him, 
he would give Da- 
vid's body to the 
birds and to the 
beasts to eat. He 
meant by this, that 
he would kill Da- 
vid. 

But David was 
not afraid, and an- 
swered, Thou com- 
est against me with 
a sword, and a 
shield; but I come 
against thee trust- 
ing in the Lord of 
hosts, the God of 
Israel, whom thou 
hast defied. For 
£his day He will let 
me kill thee, and I 
will cut off thy 
head ; and the army 

DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH. 




2 5.6 



DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH. 



of the Philistines shall be slain, and their dead bodies shall become food 
for the birds of the air, and for the wild beasts of the field. Then Goliath 
came still nearer, and David ran towards him quickly, and putting his 
hand into his bag, he took out a stone, and slang it out of his sling. The 
stone went into the very middle of the giant's forehead, and Goliath fell 
down upon his face to 

the ground. So David ^-^7" w , *% 'M-^ \ \ J \ 

smote the giant with a 
sling and with a stone, 
for there was no sword 
in his hand. And David 
ran and stood upon the 
giant, and drew out his 
great sword from its 
sheath, and cut off Goli- 
ath's head with it. 

When the other Phil- 
istines saw that their great man was slain, they all fled. And the men of 
Israel rose up and shouted, for they saw that the Lord was fighting for 
them ; and they went after the Philistines, and slew as many of them as 
they could overtake. Afterward, the Israelites turned back from chasing 
their enemies, and went into the camp of the Philistines, and took for a 
spoil all the gold, and the silver, and the fine clothing and the provisions 
that they had left in their tents. 

When Saul saw David go out to fight the Philistine giant, he asked 




DAVID CUTTING OFF GOLIATH S HEAD. 




DAVID AND JONATHAN. 



SAUL BECOMES JEALOUS OF DAVID. 



■57 



Abner, the captain of his army, to find out whose son David was. And 
when David came from the fight, with the head of Goliath in his hand, 
Abner took him and brought him before Saul. And Saul said, Whose 
son art thou, young man? David answered, I am the son of thy servant 
Jesse, the Bethlehemite. 

Now, while Saul was talking with David, Jonathan, Saul's son, was 
standing near, and he heard what David said to his father; and he began 
to love David very much indeed, because David was so good and brave. 

And Saul would not let David go back to his father's house any more, 
but he took him to be with himself. And Jonathan told David that he 
loved him, and they both promised to be kind to each other. And Jona- 
than gave David his own robe, aild his sword and his bow, also, and the 
girdle that he wore round his waist. And David obeyed Saul, and be- 
haved himself wisely, and the soldiers and the people loved him. And 
Saul made him a captain over a part of his soldiers. 



Saul Becomes Jealous of dayid. 



/ Samuel xviii. io6j B. C. 

HEN, when the battle was over with the Philis- 
tines, Saul and his army went back to their homes. 
And as they passed through some of the cities of 
the land, the women came out with harps in their 
hands; and they played as they went along, and 
sang, and danced, praising Saul and David for 
the victory they had won. But they gave to 
David greater praise than they gave to Saul. 
Saul had slain thousands, they sang, but David 
had slain ten thousands of the Philistines. When 
Saul heard these words, he was much displeased, 
and he said to himself, that since David had re- 
ceived so much praise, he could want for nothing 
more, except it was Saul's kingdom. Saul, per- 
haps, now thought, that David was the man who was to be king instead of 
himself. For Samuel had told Saul, that God -had chosen a better man 
than he was, to be king. So from this time, Saul became jealous of David, 
and no longer looked kindly upon him. 

The next day, after he came home, an evil spirit came into Saul's 
heart again, and troubled him. And David took his harp, as he used to 
do, and began to play sweet music before Saul. Now Saul had a javelin, 
or sharp spear, in his hand, and he said to himself, I wijl drive this javelin 
through David, and fasten him to the wall, for he wanted to kill David. 




258 



SAUL BECOMES JEALOUS OF DAVID. 



But David saw the javelin coming, and he slipped out of the way, so that 
it did not hurt him. 



Then Saul threw it 
at him again, but 
he stepped aside the 
second time. And 
Saul was afraid of 
David, and hated 
him still more, be- 
cause he saw that 
the Lord was with 
him ; but God was 
not with Saul any 
more. And David 
behaved himself so 
wisely, that Saul 
could not find any 
fault in him, for 
which he could 
punish him. 

Then Saul sent 
David away from 
his house, and made 
him a captain over 
a thousand men. 
And the Lord was 
with David, and 
helped him to do all things well, and he was loved by all the people. 
And Saul told him that if he would go ■ out and fight against the Philis- 
tines, he should have Merab, Saul's daughter, for his wife. Saul hoped 
that the Philistines would kill David in battle. Then David went out and 
fought against the Philistines, but when the time came that he should 
have Merab, Saul gave her to be the wife of another man. And Michal, 
Saul's younger daughter, loved David, and when it was told Saul, he was 
pleased to hear it. And he said that if David would go out and Ttill a 
hundred Philistines, he should have Michal for his wife. Saul thought 
that this time David would surely be killed. 

So David went out with his men, and fought with the Philistines, and 
slew two hundred of them ; but the Lord kept David from being hurt* 
Then Samuel gave him Michal for his wife ; and everybody praised David 
still more, and called him a very brave man. And Saul saw that the Lord 
was with David to help him, and he feared him yet the more, and became 
his bitter enemy. 




SAUL THROWING THE JAVELIN AT DAVID. 



DAVID ESCAPES FROM SAUL. 



2 59 



Dayid Escapes From Saul. 



/ Samuel 



1 06 j- 1062 B. C. 




S time went on, Saul hated David so much, 
that he spoke to Jonathan, his son, and to 
all his servants, that they should kill David. 
But Jonathan^ loved David greatly, and he 
said to David, My father seeketh to kill 
thee; now, therefore, I pray thee, take care 
of thyself until the morning, and hide in 
some secret place. 

And I will go out with my father in 
the field, and what he says to me I will 
tell thee. 

And Jonathan spoke good of David to 
his father, and said, Let not the king do any evil to David, for David has 
not done any harm to thee, but has always been good and obedient to 
thee. For, at the risk of his life, he went against the Philistine giant, and 
after he had slain him, the Lord gained a great victory for the Israelites. 
Thou sawest it, and did rejoice. Wherefore then wilt thou sin, and take 
the life of David without a cause, who has done thee no harm. And Saul 
paid attention to the words of Jonathan, and he solemnly promised, as the 
Lord liveth, he shall not be slain. 

Then Jonathan called David, and told him what his father had said. 
And David came to Saul, and w T as with him as in times past. 

And there was war again between the Philistines and the Israelites. 
And David went out against the Philistines, and slew them with a great 
slaughter, and they fled from him. And Saul began to hate David again; 
for the people loved David yet more, because he had gained the victory. 
And the evil spirit came into Saul's heart, as he sat in his house. Then 
David played on his harp to make him well. Saul had a javelin in his 
hand, and he threw it at David, intending to kill him, but David stepped 
aside, as he had done before, and the javelin passed by him, and stuck in 
the wall. Then David fled and escaped. And Saul sent messengers into 
David's house to watch him, and slay him in the morning. And Michal, 
David's wife, said to him, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow 
thou wilt be killed. So Michal let David down through a window, and 
David fled and escaped. 

Then Michal took an image and put it in David's bed, and placed a 
pillow of goats' hair under it, and covered it up, so that the messengers of 
Saul miorht think David was sleeping there. And when the messengers 



260 



THE COVENANT OF DAVID AND JONATHAN. 




came to take David, Michal said to them, 
David is sick. And the messengers returned 
to Saul, and told him what Michal had said. 
Then he sent them back and said, Bring him 
up to me in the bed that I may kill him. And 
when the messengers went into the house they 
found the image only in the bed, with a pillow 
of goats' hair under it. And Saul said to 
Michel, Why hast thou deceived me so, and let 
my enemy escape? And he was angry with her. michal. 

So David fled and escaped to Ramah, where Samuel lived, and told 
him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went to live in 
Naioth. And it was told Saul that David was at Naioth. And Saul sent 
messengers to take him. But as they came to Naioth, the Spirit of the 
Lord came upon them, so they did not take David. And he sent other 
messengers to take him, and the Spirit of the Lord came also upon them. 
And he sent other messengers again, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon 
them, and thus none of them took David. So the Lord preserved the life 
of David. 

The Covenant of Dayid and Jonathan. 



/ Samuel xx. 1062 B. C. 

ND now, when David saw that Saul was 
still seeking for him, he fled from Naioth, 
and came to the place where Jonathan 
was. And he asked Jonathan, saying, 
What have I done? What is my sin 
against thy father, that he seeketh to kill 
me? Now Jonathan did not know that 
his father was yet trying to kill David ; 
so he said to him, Thou shalt not die; my 
father will do nothing without first mak- 
ing it known to me; he does not mean to 
kill thee. But David solemnly declared 
that Saul was seeking to take his life; and he said, There is but a step be- 
tween me and death. He meant by this, that he was in danger of losing 
his life at any time. Then Jonathan said, Whatever thy soul desireth, I 
will do it even for thee. 

Now the next day was a feast day, and David said that Saul would 
expect him to come to his house and eat of the feast with him, but he was 
afraid to go. And he asked Jonathan to let him go out in the field, and 




THE COVENANT OF DAVID AND JONATHAN. 26 I 

hide himself until the evening of the third day. And if Saul should miss 
him at the feast, and ask where he was, Jonathan was to say, David earn- 
estly asked leave of me to go to his native city, Bethlehem, that he might 
join his family, in offering up their yearly sacrifice. Then, if Saul should 
say, It is well, David said he would have no reason to fear danger to him- 
self; but if not, it would mean that Saul intended to do David evil. And 
David begged Jonathan to be kind to him, for the sake of the covenant 
they had made between them ; and he said that if he deserved death, he 
would rather Jonathan himself should slay him, than that he should de- 
liver him up to his father. 

But Jonathan spoke kindly to David, and told him that if he knew that 
his father intended evil against him, he would surely tell him. And he 
told David that he might go away for three days. And David asked who 
should tell him what Saul said, when he found out that David had gone 
away. Jonathan answered, Come, let us go out into the field. And they 
went out together into the field. And Jonathan said, that while David 
was away, he would find out the state of his father's feelings towards him, 
and if he saw that he intended to do David any harm, he would surely let 
him know. And Jonathan made David solemnly promise that he would 
always be his friend while he lived; and after Jonathan was dead, and 
David had overcome all his enemies, he was to be kind to all that belonged 
to the family of Jonathan, for Jonathan's sake. And David promised to 
do what Jonathan had asked; and they made a covenant between them. 

And Jonathan told David that after the three days had gone by, David 
should come there, and hide behind the rock called Ezel, that was in the 
field. Then, Jonathan said, he would come out at the same time into the 
field, making as though no one was there, and he would shoot three ar- 
rows from his bow, as though he shot at a mark, and he would send a lad 
out to pick the arrows up. If Jonathan should, call out to the lad, The 
arrows are on this side of thee, David would know that Saul was no 
longer angry with him, and would do him no hurt. But if Jonathan 
should say, The arrows are beyond thee, then David might know that his 
life was in danger, and he must flee. Jonathan was afraid that his father 
might have him watched, and then he would not be able to speak with 
David; so he took this way of letting David know whether there was 
danger or not. 

So David went away and hid himself. And on the next day, which 
was the day of the feast, Saul sat down to eat, as at other times, on a seat 
by the wall, and Jonathan, and Abner, the captain of the army, sat near 
him ; but David's seat was empty. Saul said nothing about David that 
day, for he thought something had taken place to keep him away. But 
on the next day, David's place was empty ; and Saul said to Jonathan, 



2 62 THE COVENANT OF DAVID AND JONATHAN. 

Why has not the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday or to-day? 
Jonathan answered, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethle- 
hem, for our family have a feast there, and my brother has commanded 
me to be there. So, Jonathan said, he had told him he might go. When 
Saul heard this, he was very angry with Jonathan for letting David go. 
And he said to him, Dost not thou know that thou art loving David to 
thine own hurt? For as long as David lives thou wilt not be king, as I 
wish thee to be after I am dead. And Saul said, Go, now, and bring him 
to me, for he shall surely die. And Jonathan said, Why should he die, 
what hath he done? And Saul hurled his javelin at Jonathan, which 
missed hitting him. Then Jonathan knew that his father meant to kill 
David. So Jonathan arose from the table in great grief and anger, and 
could eat nothing because his father had said and done what he had. 

On the next day, Jonathan went out into the field, for that was the day 
on which he was to let David know whether Saul intended evil against 
him or not. And David was hidden in the field, behind the rock Ezel. 
And when Jonathan came there, he said to the little lad that was with 

him, Run find out now the arrows which I shoot. 
And as the lad ran on before, Jonathan shot an 
arrow beyond him. And Jonathan cried out 
loud, saying, Is not the arrow beyond thee? Make 
speed, haste; stay not. And David heard the 
words that Jonathan spoke, and he knew from 
those words that he would have to flee to save 
V^'^WIM^^IH?^' h^ s 1^5 because Saul intended to kill him. And 
the lad picked up the arrows, and brought them 
to Jonathan, but he did not know why his master 
had shot them, and why he had called out after him. And Jonathan gave 
his bow and arrows to the lad, and said, Go carry them to the city. 

As soon as the lad was gone, David came out and fell on his face be- 
fore Jonathan, and bowed three times. And they kissed one another, and 
wept one with another. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace. The 
Lord be between me and thee and between thy children and my children, 
forever. And David arose and went away, and Jonathan went into the 
city. 

For Older Boys and Girls. 




JONATHAN SHOOTING THE 
ARROW. 



NO character in Scripture is more fascinating than that of Jonathan. 
There is no more beautiful page in history or poetry than the story 
of the passionate love of this heir to the throne of Israel, for the 
young champion, whom he had so much cause to regard as a rival. What 
a proof of the victory of love over self is the saying of Jonathan, Thou * 



DAVIDS FLIGHT. 



263 



shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee. Truly did David 
sing in his elegy, Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of 
woman. 

Jonathan is the foremost figure in it, and the nobility and self-oblivion 
of his love is beautifully brought out, while David's part is rather that of 
the loved than of the lover. 

Shakespeare says of love, Hast thou more of pain or pleasure ; Bailey 
says, The sweetest joy, the wildest woe is love; and a French writer, To 
love is to be a candidate for sorrow — he should have said, to be a candi- 
date for sacrifices that ennoble others and glorify one's self. 

In David and Jonathan we have love such as only pure, great souls can 
have. They were both of the most noble nature. They were both 
strong, clean, brave, full of the highest daring, both inexplicably noble 
toward the mad king, and ineffably tender toward God. 

Why need such friendships be so rare? Friendship and love are worth 
more than worlds. The soul should go out for souls instead of for money. 
Great souls must have friends. Worlds are not enough. 

Friendships of earth are the star-sparkles in the utter night. They 
faintly speak of the purity, perpetuity and glory of the friendships of 
Christ, who loves us with an infinite love. And if men can love one an- 
other as Jonathan loved David, and Damon Pythias, how should they love 
the ever-loving Christ who has sacrificed so much for them? And what 
sacrilege it is to pour such treasures of affection at the feet of dear ones 
here, and to give so grudgingly such miserable doles of heart's love to 
Him. 



David's Flight. 



/ Samuel xxi-xxii. 1062 B. C. 

OMIXG thus out of his hiding-place, and taking leave 
of Jonathan, David went to the city of Nob, where the 
people had set up the tabernacle, instead of at Shiloh. 
And Ahimelech, the high priest, was afraid when he 
saw David, and said to him, Why art thou alone, and 
no man with thee. And David said to the high priest, 
The king has sent me on some important business, and 
has said to me, tell no one what it is. David was not 
telling the truth when he said this, for he was afraid 
of Saul. He had lost, for the time, his faith in God, 
who was able to deliver him from this danger, as He 
had delivered him from the lion, the bear, and Goliath. 
Then David asked the priest for five loaves of bread 
for his servants, some young men, who had come with him. And Ahim- 
elech said to David, There is no common bread here, but hallowed bread; 
by which he meant the shew bread, which was placed on the golden table 
by the priests. But he said, if the young men were in a right state to eat 




264 



DAVID S FLIGHT. 



it he would give it to them. And David said they were. So he gave 
them the loaves. One of the servants of Saul, whose name was Doeg, a 
man born in the land of Edom, and who took care of Saul's herds, hap- 
pened to be present, and saw David. David felt afraid, no doubt, of him, 



spear 



? for I 




and asked Abimelech, Is there not with thee a sword or 
have neither brought my sword nor my wea- 
pons with me, for the king's business requires 
haste. And the priest answered, The sword 
of Goliath whom thou slewest is here wrapped 
in a cloth; if thou wish it, thou canst take it, 
for there is no other sword here. And David 
said, There is none like that, give it me. 

Then David arose and fled for fear of Saul, 
and went to Achish, the king of Gath. And 
the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this 

David, of whom the women of Israel sang, saying, Saul has slain his 
thousands, but David has slain his ten thousands of the Philistines? And 
David was sore afraid when he saw that they knew him, and acted as if he 
were not in his right mind. He scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and 
behaved in a wild, strange manner. 

And Achish said, Lo, you see that the man is mad. Why then have 
you brought him to me? Do I need mad-men? Shall this mad-man come 

into my house? So 
they drove him 
away. 

Then David es- 
caped to the cave of 
Adullam, which was 
large enough to hold 
a great many people. 
And his brethren, 
and parents, and the 
servants of his father, heard of it, and they went down there to him. And 
a great many others came also. So that there were about four hundred 
men. And David became their captain. 

Then David went to the king of Moab, and asked him to let his father 
and" mother live with him until, he said, I know what God will do for me. 
And the king told him they might come. So David took them to the 
king, and they lived with him all the time David was in the cave. 

In the midst of all his troubles and danger, David called to mind the 
time when he was a shepherd boy, tending his father's sheep, and he re- 
membered that by the gate of his native city, Bethlehem, there was a well 





ACHISH AND DAVID. 



DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ADCJLLABI. 



THE DEATH OF THE PRIESTS. 



265 



that he used to get water from to drink. And he now longed for a drink 
from that same well, and said, O that some one would give me a drink of 
water from the well that is by the gate of Bethlehem. Then three of his 
brave men, who heard his wish, went and made their way through the 
army of the Philistines, and drew water from the well, and brought it to 
David. But he poured it out on the ground as an offering to the Lord, 
and said, Be it far from me, Lord, to drink this. Is not this as the blood 
of the men who have put their lives in danger to get it for me? 



The Death of the Priests. 




/ Samuel xxii. 1062 B. C, 

OD took care of David, as we have seen, and He now 
sent a prophet, named Gad, to tell David not to stay 
any longer in the cave, but to go back into the land of 
Judah. So David went into that land, and lived in the 
forest of Hareth. But Saul was in the city of Gibeah; 
and he rested there under a tree, with a spear in his 
hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 
And he said to them, You have all conspired against 
me, because none of you will tell me of the covenant 
which Jonathan has made with the son of Jesse; and 
none of you are sorry for me, that my son has stirred up David to be my 
enemy. And Doeg, the Edomite, answered, I saw David coming to Nob 
to the priest Ahimelech, and I saw Ahimelech give him bread, and the 
sword of Goliath. Then Saul sent for Ahimelech, and all that lived in 
his father's house, and for all the priests. And Saul said to Ahimelech, 
Why have you and all the rest conspired against me, in giving David 
bread and a sword? And Ahimelech answered, 
I thought there was none so faithful among all 
thy servants as David, thy son-in-law. I did 
not know that he was thine enemy. And Saul 
said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou 
and all the rest. And the king commanded 
his soldiers to slay the priests of the Lord, but 
they were afraid, and would not obey the king. 
And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou and 
kill the priests. And Doeg slew eighty-five of 
them. And then he went to Nob, the city of the priests, and killed all 
the men and women and the little children, and the oxen and the sheep 
and the asses. But Abiathar, one of Ahimelech's sons, escaped, and fled 




SAUL WITH THE SPEAK. 



266 DAVID SAVES THE CITY OF KEILAH. DAVID FLEES TO ENGEDY. 



to David, and told him what Saul had done. And David answered, I 
knew it that day when Doeg, the Edomite, saw me at the tabernacle, that 
he would surely tell Saul. It is through me that thy father, and all thy 
relatives, have been put to death. Now, therefore, stay with me; for he 
that seeketh my life, seeketh thine, also ; but with me thou shalt be safe. 



Dayid Sayes the City of Keilah. 
Flees to Ehgedy. 



Dayid 




/ Sa?nuel xxii-xxiv. 1061 B. C. 

4^ ND now word was brought to David that 
the Philistines were fighting against 
Keilah, in the land of Judah, and steal- 
ing the grain from the threshing floors. 
Then David asked the Lord, saying 
Shall I go and destroy these Philistines? 
And the Lord said unto David, Go and 
smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 
But David's men said unto him, Behold 
we are afraid in Judah, how much more, 
then, if we go to Keilah against the arm- 
ies of the Philistines? Then David 
asked the Lord again; and the Lord answered him, Arise, go down to 
Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 

So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought against the Philis- 
tines, and smote them, and brought away their cattle, and saved the people 
of Keilah out of their hands. 

And some one told Saul that David had gone to Keilah. And Saul 
said, God hath delivered him into my hand, for he is shut in, by going into 
a city that has gates and bars. And David knew that Saul was plotting 
mischief against him, and he said to Abiathar, the priest, I will pray to 
God about it. And David prayed, O Lord God, will Saul come down as 
thy servant has heard, and will the men of Keilah give me up to him? 
And the Lord said, He will come down, and they will give thee up. 

Then David and his six hundred men went quickly out of Keilah to 
the strong places of a mountain, in the wilderness of Ziph. And it was told 
Saul, that David had escaped from Keilah, so he did not go there. But 
he tried to find out where David was, and hunted after him every day, 
but the Lord kept David from being found. And Jonathan went to 
David in the wood. And he comforted David with his words, and said to 
him, Fear not, for Saul, my father, will not find thee, and thou shalt be 



DAVID SAVES THE CITY OF KEILAH. DAVID FLEES TO ENGEDY. 267 




SAUL IN THE CAVE. 



king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee. And they made a cove- 
nant with each other, promising to remain true friends forever. After 
that David staved in the wood, but Jonathan 
went back to his own home. And the people, 
called the Ziphites, came to Saul, and said, 
David is hiding himself with us in strong holds 
in the wood. Come down, and we will deliver 
him into your hand. And Saul thanked the 
men, and told them to keep a watch on David, 
and find out for a certainty where he was hid- 
ing. Then Saul and his men went down to 
the place where the Ziphites lived, to seek for 
David. But when they had surrounded him, and had almost taken him, a 
messenger came to Saul, saying, Make haste and come back, for the Phil- 
istines have come into the land. Then Saul had to stop from pursuing 

David, and go back 
to fight against the 
Philistines. So Da- 
vid was saved that 
time also, out of the 
hand of Saul; and 
he fled into the wil- 
derness of Engedy. 
When Saul had 
come back, after 
driving off the 
Philistines, it was 
told him where 
David had gone. 
Then he took three 
thousand chosen 
men, and went out 
in the wilderness to 
hunt for David and 
his men among the 
rocks, where the 
wild goats lived. 
And he came to a 
cave, and went into 
it alone, to lie down. 

DAV.D CUTTING OFF THE SKIRT OF SAUL'S KOBE. ^ °^ -L'aVlU dU. 

his men were hidden in the sides of the- cave, but Saul could not see 




2 68 DAVID SAVES THE CITY OF KEILAH. DAVID FLEES TO ENGEPY, 



them, because it was dark within. Then David's men wanted him to kill 
Saul, as he lay asleep, for they said the Lord had delivered David's ene- 
my into his hand. But David said he would not hurt the man whom the 
Lord had made king. 

So David would not kill Saul ; neither would he let his men hurt the 
king ; but he went gently up to Saul as he lay asleep in the cave, and cut 
off a piece of his robe, and took it away, but Saul did not know it. 

Soon after the king rose up and went out of the cave; and he and his 
men went on looking for David among the hills. Then David came out 
of the cave, and called in a loud voice after Saul, My lord, the king. 




DAVID SHOWING HIMSELF TO SAUL. 



Then Saul looked behind him, and David bowed himself down to the 
ground. And he said to Saul, Wherefore dost thou listen to men's words, 
who say that David seeks to harm thee. Behold, thou hast seen this day, 
that the Lord had delivered thee into my hand; and some of my men 
wanted me to kill thee, but I said, I will not kill my lord the king, for he 
is the Lord's anointed. See, my father, the skirt of thy robe in my hand. 
Because I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and did not kill thee, thou mayest 
know that I do not wish to hurt thee, and that I have not sinned against 
thee. Why, then, dost thou hunt after me to kill me? The Lord will 
keep me safe, and will not let thee hurt me, neither will I do thee any 
harm. When Saul heard these kind words his heart was touched, and he 
said, Is this thy voice, my son David ? And he began to weep. He had 



SAMUEL AND SAUL. 



269 



once loved David, and when he saw how good David was, he felt that he 
had been very wicked. Then he said to David, Thou art much better 
than I am, because thou hast done good to me, but I have done thee evil; 
and thou hast shown kindness to me this day, for when thoucouldest have 
killed me, thou didst not. May the Lord reward thee for what thou hast 
done to me this day. And now I know that thou wilt surely be king of 
Israel. Promise me therefore, before the Lord, that thou wilt not kill my 
children, after I am dead, and destroy my name among men. And David 
solemnly promised that he would not. And Saul went home, but David 
and his men went up to their strong hold. 

Soon after this Samuel died, and the Israelites gathered together and 
mourned for him, and buried him in Raman. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



a 



^AMUEL is the type of obedience, Saul of disobedience. What a 
splendid reign Saul's might have been, if he had but obeyed the 
voice of God. His commanding figure, his personal bravery, his mil- 
itary successes, his generous treatment of those who were at first unfriend- 
ly to him, the universal enthusiasm of the people in his favor, and the 
hearty support received from Samuel, — all promised a prosperous rule. 

The people had asked for a king. It was not wrong to ask for a king 
in a proper spirit, but the people asked for one in a wailful spirit, and on 
that account it was displeasing to God. But if Saul had followed the ad- 
vice of Samuel, he would have been happy, and his subjects blessed. But 
he became selfish, and full of self will, he took his own course, which led 
to his rejection by the Lord. Instead of continuing to be noble and gen- 
erous, he became mean, jealous, suspicious, and blood-thirsty. 

Most men, it has been said, are better fitted for adversity than prosper- 
ity. Many a one who has been liberal to the poor and to the cause of 
Christ when struggling to get a living, has become stingy and hard-heart- 
ed when blessed with prosperity. 

In the destruction of the Amalekites, God wished to make Saul and his 
soldiers the executioners of divine justice. They would have had no right 
to do such a terrible deed, without acting under the direct command of 
God. Their act is never to be imitated by man, although soldiers, many 
times since, have been guilty of cruel butcheries. Israel was but the sword, 
the hand was God's. 

We live now under a brighter and better dispensation. Jesus Christ 
has created a new order of things, and a new atmosphere of love and pity 
for men to breathe. He has taught us a higher law than that which 
reigned in the davs of Saul. 

Saul's rejection teaches us that partial obedience is complete disobed- 
ience. Saul obeyed as far as it suited him ; that is to say, he did not obey 
God at all, but his own inclination, both in sparing the good and destroy- 
ing the worthless. Let us beware of trying to impose on ourselves and 
deceive God, with shuffling lies about our obedience, and of opposing the 
truth, which makes known to us our disobedience. 



270 



DAVID AND ABIGAIL. 



The scene at Gilgal teaches us how pious a man gets when he wants 
to sin. In the first test, Saul offered sacrifices when there was no occasion; 
and in the second he spared the best sheep and oxen, pretending that he 
wanted to offer more sacrifices unto the Lord. 

Again we are taught not to do evil that good may come. He who 
thinks to help God's cause by disobedience, will find, sooner or later, that 
he has made a wreck of himself, and done all the harm he could to the 
Lord's cause. The Lord can get along without live stock, or any stocks 
of any sort; but the Lord doesn't want to get along without the willing 
obedience of His servants and children. 

Another lesson. Sins cannot be concealed. Stolen sheep are sure to 
bleat, and foxes to gnaw. 

Samuel, the obedient servant of God, goes down to his grave at the 
end of a long and useful life honored and lamented, while Saul is soon to 
perish miserably upon the mountain of Gilboa. 



Dayid ahd Abigail. 



7* Samtiel xxv. 1060 B. C. 

AFTER the death of Samuel, David went down to the wilderness of 
Paran. In that part of the country there was a man named Nabal, 
who had great riches. He owned three thousand sheep and a thousand 
goats, but he was a man of a bad temper. He was also very stingy, and 
did many evil things. He had a beautiful wife, whose name was Abigail, 
and she was wise, and had good common sense. 

Now David and his men had been very near where Nabal's shepherds 
were taking care of his sheep. They had been very kind to these shep- 
herds, and although when hungry, as they often were, they might have 
killed Nabal's sheep and eaten them, they had not done so. 

David heard that this man Nabal was going to shear his sheep in Car- 
mel. So he sent some of his young men down to Nabal, telling them to 
greet him in David's name, and say to him, Peace be both to thee and 
thine house, and unto all that thou hast. Ask thy young men, and they 
will tell thee that my men never hurt thy shepherds, nor took anything 
from them. I pray thee, therefore, give them some food for us to eat. 

But Nabal insulted them, and spoke roughly to them, saying, Who is 
David? There are many servants now-a-days that run away from their 
masters. Shall I then take my bread and the water and the flesh which I 
have killed for the shearers, and give it to men, whom I know not whence 
they be? Then the young men came and told David what Nabal had said. 

And David said to his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And 
they did so. And David girded on his sword. And he took with him 
four hundred men, and left two hundred men to guard the camp. Then 
he went forward to punish Nabal for being so ungrateful to him. 



DAVID AND ABIGAIL, 



271 



But one of Nabal's servants, a young man, went and told Abigail how 
kind David and his men had been to Nabal's shepherds. He said, They 
were very good to us ; they were a wall unto us both by night and day, all 
the while we were with them, keeping the sheep. And now, when David 
sent messengers to salute our master Nabal, he railed on them. And now 
David is coming with his men to attack Nabal and his house; think, there- 
fore, what is best to be done that David may be kept from harming us. 

Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bot- 
tles of wine, and five sheep, ready dressed, and five measures of parched 




ABIGAIL MEETING DAVID. 



corn, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and 
put them upon asses. And she said to her servants, Go on before me, and 
I will come after you. But she did not tell Nabal, her husband. Then 
she rode upon an ass, and set out to meet David. And as she came to a 
wooded place of the hill, she met David and his men coming toward her. 
When she saw him, she made haste, and got down from the ass, and fell 
before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, saying, Let 
me speak, I pray thee, and do thou hear what I say; but give no heed to 
Nabal, who has spoken so roughly and unwisely. Let this present which 



272 SAUL PURSUES DAVID AGAIN. 

I have brought, be given to thy young men, and do thou forgive me for 
coming to thee. Then she said that the Lord would surely bless David 
and save him from his enemies. And when the Lord should have done 
as he had promised, and made David king over Israel, then, Abigail said, 
he would not have to repent of shedding blood without cause, but would 
be glad that he had spared the life of Nabal at her request. 

And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who 
sent thee this day to meet me. And blessed be thy advice and blessed be 
thou who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and avenging 
myself with my own hand. 

So David took the present which she brought, and said unto her, Go 
home in peace, for I will do what thou hast asked me to do. 

And Abigail came to Nabal, but he was holding a great feast in the 
house, and was very drunk ; so she said nothing to him until the next 
morning. Then when she told him of all that had taken place, and of the 
great danger he had been in, he became sick with fear, and received a 
great shock, and all his strength left him, and he lay like a stone. And 
about ten days afterward he died. 

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord 
that has kept me from evil, for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of 
Nabal upon his own head. 

And David loved Abigail, and he sent messengers to her, who said, 
David sent us to take thee to him to be his wife. And she bowed herself 
on her face to the ground, and said, Let me be a servant to wash the feet 
of the servants of my lord. 

Then she made haste, and rode upon an ass; and she took five of her 
handmaidens with her, and followed after the messengers of David, and 
came to him and became his wife. 



Saul Pursues Dayid Agaih. 



/ Samuel xxvi-xxvii. 1060 B. C. 

ND the Ziphites came. to Saul in Gibeah, and said 
David was hiding among the hills in the wilderness of 
Ziph. And Saul, who had forgotten David's kindness, 
and still felt hatred towards him, took three thousand 
chosen men to hunt after David in the wilderness. 

When David heard that Saul was coming, he sent 
out spies to see if it was really so. And thev came 
back and said, Saul is coming indeed. 

Then David arose and came very quietly to the place where Saul had 




SAUL PURSUES DAVID AGAIN. 273 

set up his tents. And David said to his chief officers, Who will go with 
me to the camp of Saul? And Abishai said, I will go with thee. Abi- 
shai was the nephew of David. 

So David and Abishai went to the camp at night. And Saul was 
sleeping in the midst of the wagons, and his spear was stuck in the ground 
near his pillow. And Abner, the general of the army, and the soldiers, 
all lay sleeping round about Saul. And Abishai said to David, God has 
delivered thine enemy into thy hand this day, let me, I pray thee, run my 
spear through him to the earth, and I will not have to do it the second 
time. 

And David said, Kill him not, for who can kill the Lord's anointed and 
be without guilt? The Lord may some time kill him, or he may die in 
battle, but the Lord forbid that I should kill him. But David said to Abi- 
shai, Take the spear that is at the head of his pillow, and the cruse (or 
bottle) of water, and let us go. So they took the spear and the cruse of 
water, and went away, and no one saw them, because a deep sleep from 
the Lord had fallen upon all the soldiers. Then David went and stood 
upon the top of a hill, a good way off; yet as he spoke in a loud voice, 
Saul could hear him. And he cried to the men that were sleeping 
around Saul, and to Abner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? And 
Abner, starting up out of sleep, shouted, Who art thou that criest to the 
king? And David said, Art thou not a brave man? Why hast thou not 

kept better guard over thy lord the king, so 
that no one might come into the camp to kill 
him? You all ought to die for not keeping 
better watch. See, now, where the king's spear 
is, and the cruse of water that stood by his 
j. pillow. 

And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is 
this thy voice, my son David? David an- 
swered, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And 
david vtith saul's spear. David said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pur- 
sue his servant? What have I done? Is there any evil in me towards 
thee? If I have done anything wicked, I will confess my sin, and offer 
up a sacrifice to the Lord to atone for it. But, if evil men have persuaded 
thee that I intend to do thee harm, may the Lord punish them as they de- 
serve. And he begged Saul not to kill him. 

Then Saul said, I have sinned; come back, my son David. I will 
never harm thee again, because thou hast spared my life this day. I have 
been very foolish, and have done thee a great wrong. And David said, 
Here is thy king's spear; let one of his young men come and take it; and 
may the Lord reward every man for his righteousness and faithfulness; 




2 74 SAUL AND THE WOMAN OF ENDOR. 

for I might have slain thee this day, but I would not. Then David 
prayed, that as he had been kind to Saul, so the Lord would be kind to 
him, and save him out of all his troubles. And Saul spoke kindly to 
David, saying, Blessed be thou, my son David, thou shalt do great things, 
and shalt conquer thine enemies. Then David went his way, and Saul 
went back to his own home. 

But though Saul parted from David in this kind and friendly manner, 
David did not put any trust in the king's words, for Saul had seemed to 
make friends with him before, yet, after a little while, he came out again 
after David, to take his life. So David said, There is nothing better for 
me, than to go into the land of the Philistines, and Saul shall despair to 
find me, so I shall escape out of his hands. Then David and his six hun- 
dred men went into the land of the Philistines, and came to Achish, king 
of Gath. And David said to Achish, Give me some place in some town 
of the country, that I and my men may live there. And Achish gave him 
a city called Ziklag, and David and his men lived there a year and four 
months. And when Saul heard that David had fled to the Philistines, he 
sought no more after him. 



Saul ahd the Woman of Ehdor. 




I Samuel xxviii. 1056 B. C. 

ND while David was living with the Philistines, that 
people gathered their armies together to fight against 
Saul. And Achish said to David, Thou shalt go with me 
to battle, thou and thy men. He wanted David to help 
the Philistines fight against Saul and his army. But 
David did not promise to go with Achish. And the 
Philistines came and made their camp in Shunem ; and 
Saul and the men of Israel encamped at Gilboa. 

When Saul saw how large an army the Philistines had, he was greatly 
afraid, and his heart sank within him. And he asked of the Lord what 
he should do; but the Lord did not answer him, neither did the Lord send 
his prophets to make known his will to Saul. Now in those days, there 
were among the Philistines certain persons who could call up evil spirits, 
when they wanted to do so, and talk with them. These were called 
familiar spirits. They would question these spirits, and ask their advice 
or help. 

The Bible tells us that it was a very great sin to have a familiar spirit; 
and the Lord said, that all those persons who had them, should be put to 
death. He commanded the children of Israel not to go to such persons to 
ask any questions, or to inquire of them. The Lord would not answer 



SAUL AND THE WOMAN OF ENDOR, 



75 



Saul when he asked what he should do against the Philistines. Then 
Saul told his servants to seek for a woman that had a familiar spirit, that 
he might go to her and ask advice. And his servants answered that 
there was a woman at Endor, who had a familiar spirit. 

Then Saul put on a dress which concealed him ; and he took two men 
with him, and went to the woman by night; but she did not know that it 
was Saul. And he asked her to let the familiar spirit bring up for him a 
man who was dead, but whom he wanted to speak with. But the woman 
said that Saul had destroyed and driven off those that had familiar spirits, 
and she was afraid that he would find out what she had done, and cause 




SAUL \ND THE WOMAN OF ENDOR. 



her to be put to death. But Saul promised that no harm should happen to 
her. Then the woman asked,Whom shall I bring up to thee ? Saul answered, 
Bring me up Samuel. Then Samuel, who had been dead for a long time, 
rose up before them. It was the Lord himself who brought Samuel to 
speak to Saul, and not the woman of Endor. Then Saul bowed himself 
down with his face to the ground. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast 
thou disquieted me, to bring me up? Saul answered, I am in great dis- 
tress, for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from 



276 DAVID DEFEATS THE AMALEKITES. 

me, and answers me no more; therefore I have called thee, that thou 
mayest make known to me what I shall do. Then Samuel said, Why, 
then, dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord has departed from thee, and 
become thine enemy? The Lord has done to thee what I told thee he 
would do ; he has taken the kingdom from thee, and has given it to David, 
because thou didst not obey the commands of the Lord. The Lord, also, 
will let the Philistines gain the victory over the children of Israel; and 
to-morrow thou and thy sons will be with me. 

When Saul heard these words, he fell down upon the ground, and 
there was no strength left in him ; for he had eaten nothing all that day, 
nor all the night before. And when the woman saw that Saul was in 
great trouble, she asked him to let her set food before him, that he mio-ht 
eat and gain strength before he went on his way. But Saul refused, and 
said, I will not eat. Then his servants and the woman urged him to eat, 
until at last he consented. Then he rose up from the ground and sat upon 
the bed. And the woman killed a fat calf that she had, and took flour 
and kneaded it and made bread. And she* brought it and set it before 
Saul and his servants, and they did eat. Then they rose up and went 
away that night. 

Dayid Defeats the Amalekites. 

I Samuel xxix-xxx. ioj6 B. C. 

OW the lords of the Philistines gathered all their ar- 
mies together at Aphek. And David with his six 
hundred men came with Achish, the king of Gath. 
But when the chief men of the Philistines saw them, 
they asked what those Hebrews were doing there. 
Achish answered, This is David, the servant of Saul, 
the king of Israel, and he has been with me for a long time, and I have 
found no fault in him since he came unto me. But the chief men of the 
Philistines were angry at Achish for bringing David with him; and they 
said to him, Make this fellow go back to the place which thou hast given 
him to live in, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest during the 
fight he turn against us, so that he may get into favor with Saul, his mas- 
ter, again. 

Then Achish called David and said to him, I have not found evil in 
thee since the day of thy coming unto me. But the lords of the Philis- 
tines favor thee not ; therefore, return and go in peace, that thou displease 
them not. And so David and his men went back early in the morning, 
and the Philistines went up to Jezreel. 

On the third day David came to Ziklag. And he found that the 
Amalekites had taken Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken their 




DAVID DEFEATS THE AMALEKITES. 2 77 

women, and their sons, and their daughters, captive. Then David and his 
men wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David was great- 
ly distressed, for his soldiers talked of stoning him, because he had 
taken them away from the city. But David prayed to the Lord and 
trusted in Him. 

And David asked the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after the Amal- 
ekites, shall I overtake them? And the Lord said, Pursue; for thou shalt 
surely overtake them and recover all. So David and his men went after 
the Amalekites, until they came to the brook Besor. Here two hundred 
of his men had to be left behind, because they were so faint and weary. 

And they found an Egyptian in a field who was sick and nearly starv- 
ing, for he had nothing to eat and drink for three days and nights. And 
they brought him to David, and gave him brend and water, and a piece of 
a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. And David asked him who 
he was, and he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant of an Amalekite, 
and my master left me three days ago, because I fell sick. He then said, 
We made an attack upon the country about Ziklag, and burned that city 
with fire. 

Then David said, Canst thou take me to the place where the Amale- 
kites are? And the Egyptian said, Promise me solemnly that thou wilt not 
kill me, nor give me up to my master, and I will take thee to them. 

Then the young man went with them, and took them to the camp of 
the enemy. And the Amalekites were spread along the ground, eating 
and drinking and dancing, because of the great spoil they had taken. And 
David rushed upon them with his men, and conquered them, and only four 
hundred of them escaped. And David and his soldiers found their wives 
and children, and all the things that the enemy had taken from Ziklag. 
And they took all the flocks and herds, and drove them back. 

And David and his soldiers came to the two hundred men who had 
been left behind at the brook Besor. And some of the selfish soldiers of 
David said, Because these two hundred men went not with us, we will not 
give them anything that we have taken, except their wives and children. 

And David said, Ye shall not do so, my brethren. These who have 
stayed behind, shall have their share with the rest. 



278 



THE DEATH OF SAUL. 



The Death of Saul. 



MBm 



I Samuel xxxi. 1056 B. C. 

ND now the Philistines fought against Israel. And 
the men of Israel fled from them, and many of them 
were killed on Mount Gilboa. And the battle went 
sore against Saul, and the archers hit him with their 
arrows, and wounded him in many places. And Saul 
said to his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword and thrust 

me through, lest these heathen Philistines come and kill me. But his 

armor-bearer was very much afraid, and would not do it. Then Saul took 

his sword and fell upon it, and he lay dead upon the field. And when his 

armor-bearer saw 

that Saul was dead, 

he fell also upon 

his sword, and died 

with him. And 

Jonathan and the 

other sons of Saul, 

and nearly all the 

soldiers - of Saul, 

died that same day. 

And when the men 

of Israel, that were 

on the other side of 

the valley, saw that 

the soldiers of Saul 

had either fled or 

were dead, and that 

Saul and his sons 

were dead, they left 

their cities and fled 

away, and the Phil- 
istines dwelt in 

them. 

On the morning 

after the battle on 

Gilboa was over, 

the Philistines came to strip the dead bodies of the Israelites, and they 

found Saul and his three sons on the field. And they cut off Saul's head, 

and took his armor, and sent it into the land of the Philistines. And they 

told the news in the temple of their idols, and among the people. And 




THE DEATH OF SAUL. 



DAVID AND SAUL. 



279 



they hung up Saul's armor in the temple of their false god Ashtaroth, and 
they fastened the bodies of Saul and his sons to the wall of Bethshan. 

And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard what the Philistines 
had done, some of their brave men went down at night and took the bod- 
ies of Saul and his sons from the wall, and brought them to Jabesh, and 
burned them there. Then they took their bones and buried them under 
a tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 

WHAT a contrast between these two men. David trusting in the liv- 
ing God, and being encouraged to draw nigh to Him ; Saul turn- 
ing his back upon the Lord, and at last seeking a woman with a 
familiar spirit. 

What true nobleness of nature David displayed, when he would not 
drink the water brought him by his brave men from the well of Bethle- 
hem, but poured it out as an offering to the Lord. 




DAVID POURING OUT THE WATER. 

What magnanimity and forbearance he exhibited when he would not 
take the life of Saul, who was hunting him to death. How vindictive, 
malignant and ungrateful the conduct of Saul appears, in still seeking the 
life of this forgiving man! 



28o 



DAVID IS MADE KING OF ISRAEL, 



The main contrast between these two characters lies in this fact : David 
cultivated the powers of his mind and soul, by constant faith in God and 
obedience to His will. Saul did not. Many noble and lovable qualities 
this first king of Israel possessed. He was in his earlier years brave, 
prompt, modest, teachable, generous. But he did not develop his moral 
nature nor strive to win any grace that did not come naturally to him. 
Religion took a strong hold on David's character. Saul gave true religion 
the go by. 

God will hold us strictly accountable for the care of our religious life. 
No successes of any kind will compensate for want, of attention to the su- 
preme end of life — to glorify God in our bodies and spirits which are His. 

David, by obedience, went to Israel's throne; Saul, by disobedience and 
neglect of duty, went to a suicide's death on Gilboa. The wages of sin is 
death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. 



David is Made King of Israel. 




II Samuel i-vi, I Chron. xi-xvi. 1056-1042 B. C. 

ND now on the third day after David had 
gone back to Ziklag, a man came to him 
from the camp of Saul with his clothes 
torn, and earth upon his head. And he 
fell on his face before David. And when 
David asked him where he had come 
from, he said that he had fled from the 
camp of Israel with others, and that many 
of the people were killed, and among 
them, Saul and Jonathan. David then 
asked him how he knew that Saul and 

Jonathan were dead. He said, As I happened to go upon Mount Gilboa, 

I saw Saul leaning on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen of the 

Philistines pressing on him. And when he 

saw me, he called me to him and said, Who 

art thou? And I told him that I was an 

Amalekite. And he said to me again, I pray 

thee, stand upon me and slay me, for I am in 

anguish because life is still in me. So I stood 

upon him and slew him, because I was sure 

that he could not live much longer. And I 

took the crown that was on his head, and the 

bracelet that was on his arm, and have 

brought them to thee. 

Then David rent his clothes, and so did all the men that were with 

him. And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until night, for Saul and 




THE DEAD ON GILBOA. 



DAVID IS MADE KING OF ISRAEL. 



281 




DAVID THE KING. 



Jonathan, and for all the men of Israel, who had been killed. And David 
told the Amalekites that he had done a great wrong in killing Saul, who 
had been anointed king by the Lord, and that he must die. Now, the 
young man had not told the truth when he said he had killed Saul ; for 

Saul had killed himself. He thought that 
he would gain David's favor in this wicked 
way. But David said to him that because 
he had said, I have slain the Lord's anointed, 
he must be punished for his sin by death. 

After this, David asked the Lord whether 
he should go up into any of the cities of 
Judah. And the Lord told him to go up to 
Hebron. So he went up with his family, 
and with all his men, and dwelt there. And 
the men of Judah came to Hebron, which was in their country, and there 
they anointed David king over his own tribe of Judah. But the other 
tribes made Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, king over them. 

About six years after this, two of Ish-bosheth's captains came to his 
house, one day at noon. Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed. And the cap- 
tains went in to him, pretending that they 
were carrying in wheat to him. But then- 
true purpose was to kill Ish-bosheth. And 
when they had come into the room where he 
was lying, they drew their swords and slew 
him, and they cut off his head, and carried it 
away with them by night to David. And they 
said to him, behold the head of Ish-bosheth, 
the son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy 

life. But David told them they had done a david slating the jebusites. 
greater wrong than the young man who had been put to death for saying 

that he had killed Saul. Their sin was greater, 
because they, who were wicked men, had 
killed a righteous person. And he commanded 
the two captains to be put to death. 

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David 

at Hebron, and anointed him king over all 

Israel. After this, he and his men went up to 

Jerusalem. The people of Judah had not been 

able to drive out the Jebusites who lived there, 

the shepherd boy a king. and so they lived with those people. But 

David drove them out of their strong fort, which was on Mount Zion, and 

he dwelt there himself, and called it the city of David. And he grew to 

be a great man, for the Lord was with him. 

18 





282 



DAVID IS MADE KING OF ISRAEL. 



And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, 
and carpenters, and masons; and they built a house for him in Jerusalem. 

Twice during that year the Philistines came up against Jerusalem, but 
each time, with the Lord's help, David drove them back, killing many as 
they fled. 

Ever since the Philistines had sent back the ark, in a cart to Israel, it 




DAVID REJOICING BEFORE THE ARK. 



had been in the house of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim, a city in the land of 
Judah. But David thought it should now be brought to Jerusalem. As 
the people also wanted this done, they all went down and brought the ark 
out of the house, and placed it in a new cart. And Uzzah and Ahio, the 
sons of Abinadab, drove the cart. 

But when they came to the threshing-floor of Nachon, the oxen stum- 
bled and shook the cart. Then Uzzah put out his hand to steady the ark, 



DAVID IS MADE KING OF ISRAEL. 



283 



and he took hold of it 

.J 




UZZAH S BUKIAL. 



But in doing this he disobeyed the Lord, for the 
Lord had commanded that no one except the 
priests should touch the ark, when it was un- 
covered, and that when it was covered by the 
curtains of the tabernacle, the Levites alone 
should come near it to carry it on their shoul- 
ders. And the Lord said, that if any one else 
should touch it, he should die. And so, when 
Uzzah touched the ark, he fell back dead. 

And David was afraid of the Lord, and 
said, How shall the ark come to me? So he 
would not move the ark further, but he carried it aside into the house of 
Obed-edom. And the ark was there three months. And the Lord 
blessed Obed-edom and all his household. 

When David heard how the Lord had blessed them, he called together 
the priests and Levites, and all the people of Israel, to bring the ark up to 
Jerusalem. This time the Levites carried the ark on their shoulders, as 
the Lord had commanded. And when they had gone six steps, David 
offered up sacrifices. David was clothed in fine linen, and so were all the 
Levites that carried the ark, and the singers. And David danced for joy 
before the Lord. So they brought up the ark, with shouting and with the 
sound of the trumpet. 

And, as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal, his 
wife, looked through a window, and saw David leaping and dancing be- 
fore the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 

And they brought the ark into Jerusalem, and set it in its place in the 
midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it. And David offered 
burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. Then he blessed the 
people, and gave to each one of them a loaf of 
bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a bottle 
of grape juice. With these gifts, they went 
away, each one to his home. 

Then David returned to bless his own 
household. And Michal came out to meet 
him, and she spoke scornfully to him, because 
he, who was the king, had leaped and danced 
before his people. She thought he should 
walk in a statelv manner as became a king. 
But David rebuked her. He said that he was singing and leaping before 
the Lord, and not before the people. The Lord had made him ruler over 
Israel, and he should keep on praising Him, in the way that seemed right 
to him, no matter what the people thought. 




MICHAL SCORNING DAVID. 



284 



DAVID'S SIN. 



David's Sin. 



II Samuel vii-xii; I Chron. xvii-xx. 1042-1034 B. C. 

ND as David sat in his house, he said to the prophet 
Nathan, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark 
dwelleth within curtains. And Nathan told him to 
do all that was in his heart, and to build a temple for 
the ark much finer than his house. But durinsr the 



mm 




ZIBA GOING TO DAVID. 



following night, the Lord told Nathan to go and tell 
David that he should not build the temple, but that he should have a son 
who should rule over Israel after he was dead, and who should build a 
temple for the Lord. Then Nathan told David 
what the Lord had said to him. And David 
said, that what the Lord commanded was right. 
And he praised the Lord. 

David fought many battles with the Philis- 
tines, and gained the victory over them. He 
took from them many chariots and horsemen, 
and much gold and silver and brass. And he 
gave a portion of the precious things he had 
taken to the Lord. And the Lord cared for 
David wherever he went. And David reigned with justice over his 
people. 

Then David called to him a man by the name of Ziba, who had been 
a servant to Saul, and asked him if any of Saul's children were yet alive, 

for if they were, he wanted to show them 
kindness for Jonathan's sake. And the ser- 
vant, Ziba said, that a son of Jonathan was still 
living, and that he was lame. The name of 
this son was Mephibosheth. And David sent 
for him, and told him that he should receive 
again all the land and goods that had belonged 
to Saul, and that he should eat at David's table. 
So Mephibosheth came and bowed down be- 
fore David, and David gave him all the land and goods that had belonged 
to Saul, and he told Ziba and his sons to take care of the land and to raise 
grain on it. And after that Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, and ate at 
the king's table. 

When David was walking one evening on the top of his house, he saw 
a beautiful woman, whose name was Bathsheba. And he loved her. But 
he heard that she was the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, one of his soldiers. 




MEPHIBOSHETH AS A CHILD. 



DAVID S SIX. 



285 




Now his army was 
j fighting the Am- 
monites, and Joab, 
the captain, was 
leading them. So 
he called Uriah to 
him, and asked him 
about the soldiers 
and the war. And 
David asked him to 
eat with him. Then after three days he sent him back to the army, with 
a letter to Joab. In this letter, David told Joab to place Uriah in the front 
line of the army, and to tell the men near him to run away when the Am- 
monites should come against them, so that Uriah might be killed by them. 
And Joab did as David ordered. And when the Ammonites came against 

the Israelites, the 
men in the front 
rank near Uriah 




M.EPHIBOSH&TM BuWINtt. 



EATHSHEBA AJiD DAVID. 




away, 



and 



ran 

left him alone. 
Then the Am- 
monites killed 
him. And when 
David heard that 
Uriah was dead, 
he took Bathshe- 
ba to be his 
wife. 

Then t h e 
Lord sent Na- 
than the prophet 
to David. And 
Nathan said to 
David, There 
were two men 
in a city. One 
was rich, the 
other poor. The 
rich man had 
many flocks and 
herds. But the 
poor man had nothing save one little lamb, which he had brought up and 



SATHAX REPROVING DAVID. 



2 86 



DAVID S SIN. 




THOU ART THE MAN. 



cared for. It grew up with him, and with his children, and ate of his 

own meat, and drank out of his own cup, and 
lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to 
him. And a traveler came to the rich man's 
house. And the rich man made ready a meal 
for him. But instead of going out to his own 
large flock of sheep, and taking one of them 
for the meal, he took the poor man's little 
lamb, and killed it and made it ready for the 
traveler to eat. 

Then David was very angry with the rich man, and he said to Nathan, 
That man shall surely die. And Nathan said, Thou art the man, for al- 
though the Lord has made thee king over Israel, and has given thee success 
in everything thou hast done, yet thou hast disobeyed His commandment 
and hast killed Uriah with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy 
wife. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from thy house, but 
evil shall come upon thee. Then David said to Nathan, I have sinned. 
And Nathan said to him that he should not die for his sin, but that the 
child which the Lord had sent to David and Bathsheba, should die. 

And Nathan went away. Then the child become very sick. And 
David prayed to the Lord to make the child well again. And he fasted 
and lay all night on the earth. And the elders of his house went to him, 
to raise him up. But he would not rise, nor eat any food. On the sev- 
enth day the child died. And the servants feared to tell David. They 
thought he would hurt himself in his great grief. But when he saw them 
whispering together, David thought that the child was dead. And he 
asked them, and they said, he is dead. Then David arose, and washed 
himself, and put on clean garments, and went into the house of the Lord, 
and worshipped. Then he went to his own 
house and ate bread. And his servants 
wondered, and said to him, When the child 
was sick, thou didst fast and weep for the 
child; but when the child was dead, thou 
didst rise up and eat bread. And David 
said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted 
and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether 
God will make the child well? But now he ^^^^Jjj^^^S^^/-^ "^ 
is dead, why should I fast? can I bring him bathsheba mourning. 

back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 

And David comforted his wife Bathsheba. And the Lord gave them 
another son, and they called him Solomon, which means, Peaceable. And 
the Lord loved him. 




ABSALOM REBELS AGAINST DAVID. 



287 



Absalom Rebels Agaihst Dayid. 




II Samuel xiv-xvii. 10J2-102J B. C. 

DAVID had other children besides Solomon. Absalom was one of his 
sons. One day Absalom killed his brother Amnon, who had 
wronged their sister Tamar. And then Ab- 
salom fled from Jerusalem, and did not return 
for three . years. At the end of that time, 
David sent word to him that he might re- 
turn to his own house, but that he must not 
come before the king. So Absalom came 
back to Jerusalem, and lived in his home two 
years without seeing David. Then Absa- 
lom sent for Joab, David's captain, to have 

him go to the king and beg him to let Ab- setting joab-s fields afire. 

salom see him. But Joab did not go to Absalom. Then Absalom sent 

the second time, 
and still Joab 
would not go. 
Then Absalom 
told his servants 
to set on fire 
Joab's field of 
barley, which 
was near by. 
When Joab saw 
his grain burn- 
ing, he went to 
Absalom, and 
asked him why 
his servants had 
set on fire the 
field. And Ab- 
salom said he 
wanted Joab to 
go to his father, 
the king, and ask 
him to let Absa- 
lom come before 
him; if the king 
found any evil 
in Absalom,then 




DAVID FORGIVES ABSALOM. 



zo ° ABSALOM REBELS AGAINST DAVID. 

let him kill him. And Joab went to David and told him. And when 
David had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on 
his face to the ground before the king. And David kissed and forgave 
Absalom. 

In all Israel, there was no one so much praised as Absalom for his 
beauty. From the sole of his foot, even to the crown of his head, there 
was no fault in his body. His hair was very thick, and when he cut it 
each year it weighed more than six pounds. But he was not a good man, 
for he wished to be king in place of his father. And he made ready fifty 
chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And he would rise 
up early in the morning and stand near the gate. And whenever any 
man came to the king for judgment, Absalom would stop him, and tell 
him that the king had not time to listen to him. Then he would say, Oh 
that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit 
or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice! And whenever 
any man came near to him to bow to him, he would take him by the hand 
and kiss him. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel away 
from David. 

So Absalom came to David, and asked that he might go to Hebron to 
pay a vow to the Lord. And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he 
arose, and went to Hebron. But he sent spies throughout all the tribes of 
Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you 
shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. And two hundred men went 
with Absalom from Jerusalem. And he sent for Ahithophel, who was 
David's counsellor. 

When David heard that Absalom had rebelled, and the men of Israel 
with him, he fled with all his servants. And he crossed the brook Kidron 
and turned toward the wilderness. And Zadok, the -priest, also, and all 
the Levites were following, bearing the ark. But David said to them, 
Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favor in the eyes 
of the Lord, He will bring me again, and show me it and His house. Let 
Him do to me as seemeth good to Him. 

And David went up Mount Olivet, and wept as he w^ent, and had his 
head covered and his feet bare. And all the people that went with him 
covered their heads and wept. When David came to the top of the 
mount, where he worshipped God, he met his friend Hushai. And he 
told Hushai to go back to Jerusalem, and say to Absalom, I will be 
his servant, as I have been thy father's servant. David said that in this 
way he might be able to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, who had left 
David and gone over to Absalom. David told Hushai to send word to 
him by one of Zadok's sons, telling him everything that was going on. 
So Hushai went back to Jerusalem. 



ABSALOM REBELS AGAINST DAVID. , 2S9 

And when David came to a place called Bahurim, a man came out 
whose name was Shimei. This man was a relative of Saul. And he 
threw stones at David and his servants. And he cursed David, because he 
had become the king in place of one of Saul's family. Then one of Da- 
vid's men wanted to go over and kill Shimei, but David would not let him 
do so, for David said that he himself had sinned, and that he deserved the 
punishment the Lord was laying on him. He said that even his own son 
was seeking his life; and a stranger like Shimei, might be expected to 
do him greater evil than his own child. 

And Absalom, and all the men of Israel, came into Jerusalem, and with 
them Ahithophel. Then Hushai came and said to Absalom, God save the 
king. As I have served thy father, so will I serve thee. Then Absalom 
said to Ahithophel, Give counsel what we shall do. And Ahithophel 
said, Let me choose out twelve thousand men, and I will follow after Da- 
vid this night, and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and 
will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; 
and I will kill the king alone; and I will bring back all the people; so all 
the people shall be in peace. 

Then Absalom called Hushai and said, Ahithophel has spoken in this 
manner; shall we do as he says? if not, speak yourself . And Hushai said 
the counsel of Ahithophel is not good at this time, for thy father and his 
men are mightv men, and they are now bitter of soul; thy father will not 
sleep with the rest of the people, for he will hide in some cave; and when 
thy men go out to seek him, he will come upon them unawares, and kill 
them, and they will fly in fear. I counsel, that you gather together all 
Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba, and that you yourself lead them against 
David. In this way you will be sure to find him and kill him. 

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai is 
better than the counsel of Ahithophel. Then Hushai told Zadok how he 

had counseled Absalom, and commanded 
him to send word quickly to David, that he 
must not sleep that night in the plains of the 
wilderness, but must hasten away, lest he be 
taken captive. 

Now two sons of the priest were hiding 

just outside of the city, where they could not 

be seen, and a woman went and told them 

what Hushai had said. And they went 

the woman pointing. and told David. But a lad saw them, and 

told Absalom. And they came quickly to a house in Bahurim, which 

had a well in the yard. Then they let themselves down into it, and the 

woman of the house spread a covering over the well, and scattered ground 




290 



THE DEATH OF ABSALOM. 



corn upon it, so that no one would know there was a well underneath. 
And when Absalom's soldiers came, looking for the boys, she said they 
had gone over a brook of water, which was near by. And when they 
had hunted and could not find the boys, they went back to Jerusalem. 
Then the boys climbed up out of the well, and ran on to David, and told 
him what Hushai had counseled. Then David and his followers hastened 
to cross the Jordan and reach a place of safety. 

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he sad- 
dled his ass, and went back to his home in the city of Giloh. Then after 
he had put his house in order, he hanged himself. And he was buried in 
the grave of his father. 



The Death of Absalom. 




II Samuel xviii-xxiv. 1023-1017 B. C. 

N a short time after this, David came to a place called 
Mahanaim. And a man named Shobi brought beds 
and dishes and food to David. And Absalom crossed 
over the Jordan with the men of Israel, and camped 
in the land of Gilead. 

Then David divided his army into three divisions 

for the battle. And David said unto the people, I will surely go forth 

with you myself also. But they answered, Thou shalt not go forth; for 

if we flee away they will not care for us ; 

neither if half of us die will they care for 

us; but thou art worth ten thousand of us. 

And King David said, I will do what seem- 

eth best to you. So he stood by the gate of 

the city, while the people went out into the 

battle-field. And David commanded them, 

saying, Deal gently, for my sake, with the 

young man, even with Absalom. So they 

went out to fight against him and the men 

of Israel, and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim. And there, David's 

men drove the men of Israel before them, and they slew twenty thousand 

of them. 

And Absalom met the men of David. And the mule on which he was 

riding went under a great oak tree, and his hair caught in the thick boughs, 

so that he was pulled off from the mule, and hung in mid air. And a man 

who saw him hanging there, ran and told Joab. And Joab said to him, 

Why didst thou not kill him? and I would have given thee ten shekels of 




ABSALOM AND THE MEN OF GILEAD. 




THE DEATH OF ABSALOM. 2 9 x 

silver. And the man said, Though I should receive a thousand shekels 
of silver, I would not put forth my hand against the king's son, for the 
kino- commanded that no one should touch Absalom. But Joab disobeyed 
David. He took three darts and thrust them through Absalom, and the 
young men that carried Joab's armor surrounded Absalom and killed him. 
And they took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and 
laid a great heap of stones upon him. 

Then a man called Ahimaaz asked Joab to let him run to David and 
tell him what had happened. But Joab told 
him not to go that day, because the king's son 
was dead. Then Joab called Cushi to him, 
and told him to go and tell David what he had 
seen. So Cushi went. And when Ahimaaz 
asked him again that he might go, Joab said 
he could. So he ran after Cushi and passed 
him, coming first to the king. 

David was sitting between the two gates 
absalom cast into the pit. waiting for news. And the watchman went 
up to the roof and saw the men running towards him. And the king said, 
that they were bringing news from the battle. And when Ahimaaz came 
in, he said, All is well. And David said, Is the young man Absalom safe? 
And Ahimaaz answered, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it 
was. Then Cushi came in, saying, The Lord hath this day punished all 
those who rose up against thee. But when David asked him, also, if Ab- 
salom was safe, Cushi said, Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all 
that rise up to hurt thee, be as that young man is. And the king then 
knew that his son was dead. And he went up to the room over the gate 
and wept. And as he went, he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son 
Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! 
And the victory that day was turned into mourning among all the 
people. 

But Joab went to David, and told him that he should not grieve for 
Absalom, because the people who had fought that day for the king would 
be angry with him for caring so much for their enemies. And Joab told 
him, that if he did not hasten out and speak kindly to the people, they 
would all leave him. Then David went out and sat in the gate, and all 
the people saw him there, and they were satisfied. 

Then the men in Jerusalem sent word to the king, asking him to come 
back to the city. So David went back. And as he was going, Shimei, 
who had thrown stones at him, came and asked the king to forgive him. 
And David said to him, Thou shalt not die. After this David ruled over 
the people as he did before Absalom rebelled against him. 



292 



THE DEATH OF ABSALOM. 



But not many years after this, David sinned against the Lord. For 
he numbered the people, although the Lord had not commanded him to 
do so. At first Joab was unwilling to carry out David's orders to number 
the people, but at l.ast he did so. And it took him over nine months to do 
it. He found thnt there were eight hundred thousand men in Israel, and 
five hundred thousand in Judah. 

And David was sorry for his sin, and he said, I beseech thee, O Lord, 




DAVID AND AKAUNAH. 



take away the sin of thy servant. But the Lord sent a prophet named 
Gad to David. And Gad said, that the Lord would punish him in one of 
three ways: He would send a seven years' famine, or would send his en- 
emies against him, who would drive him before them for three months, or 
He would send a three days' pestilence. And David must choose one of 
these three punishments. So David said, Let me not fall into the hand of 
man, let me fall into the hand of the Lord. 



DAVID AND ABSALOM. yo 

Then the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, and seventy thousand 
men died. And the angel of the Lord was near the threshing ground of 
a man named Araunah. And Gad came that day to David, and told him 
to go up and to build an altar to the Lord on the threshing-floor of Ar- 
aunah. So David went up. And when Araunah saw him coming, he 
bowed before the king. And David said that he had come to buy the 
ground on which to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague might be 
stopped. But Araunah said, he would gladly give the threshing-floor, and 
whatever, besides, David wanted to use in the sacrifice. Still David said 
he must buy it, and pay Araunah something for it. So David bought it, 
and oxen, for the sacrifice. And there he built an altar, and offered burnt 
offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord forgave him, and He stopped 
the plague from spreading further in Israel. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



PRIDE and self-will are the characteristics of this haughty, beautiful 
Absalom. And to these must be added the base sin of ingratitude. 
Shakespeare says: 

Filial ingratitude! 
Is it not, as this mouth should tear this hand, 
For lifting food to't? 

Ingratitude has been called a broken channel, by which the founda- 
tions of the affections have been undermined; a lump of soot, which fall- 
ing into a dish of friendship, destroys its scent and flavor; a marble-hearted 
fiend, more hideous, when shown in a child, than a sea-monster. 

Shakespeare again says: 

Sharper than a serpent's tooth it is, 
To have a thankless child. 

To the ingratitude of Absalom must be added falsehood, cunning and 
hypocrisy. He stole by these and his winsome arts, the affections of the 
people from his father. But we see in this lesson, the sad end of a life of 
sin. He is dangling from the branches of a tree, caught by his beautiful 
hair, and meets his untimely death at the hands of Joab and the pursuing 
soldiers. He who delights in rebellion against God, shall meet at last dis- 
appointment and defeat. 

Let us shun this sin of ingratitude, a monster sin, indeed. As children, 
let us never forget the sacrifices, which father and mother have made so 
cheerfully and constantly for us. Let no ungrateful word, or deed of ours, 
grieve and pierce their hearts. O the heart-aches that bad and thankless 
children cause in those who, to save them, would gladly die for them! 
Many a mother can point, as one did, to her white head, with her toil-worn 
hand, and say, Hard work did not do that, but my wayward girl. 

In open rebellion Absalom died. No wonder David's cup of grief was 
full, and from that stricken heart burst forth the wailing cry, burdened 



294 



THE LAST DAYS OF DAVID. 



with the most pathetic words that ever trembled on human lips. In that 
cry, was the consciousness that the father had permitted his love for the 
proud, fallen boy, to overcome his sense of justice. And in it, there is the 
undertone of the consciousness of the sin, of which David himself, years 
before, had been guilty. 

Let us not be Absaloms in our ingratitude towards God, and in our 
rebellion against Him. The Holy and the Just One has died in our stead, 
that we might be freely and fully forgiven of God, and that our hearts 
might be moved to penitence and obedience. God commendeth His love 
toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Let us 
not add ingratitude to ingratitude, by refusing to love him in return. 



The Last Days of Dayid. 



I Kings i-xi; I Chron. xxii-xxix. 1015 B. C. 

OD brought David very close to the grave, 
as he became very old and weak. But be- 
fore he died David wanted to do something 
for the beautiful house, or temple, which 
the Lord was going to have built, and 
where the people were to come and wor- 
ship. God would not let David build the 
house, because he had shed so much blood 
in battle; but Solomon, David's son, was to 
build it. Yet David gathered together 
iron and timber and stones and brass, in 
great quantities, for the house of the Lord. 
And he said that it should be built upon the 
top of Mount Moriah, where, as we read, 
a man, named Araunah, once had a threshing-floor. 

And David set masons at work, cutting stones for the house of the 
Lord; and many other men were busy making nails and hewing timbers. 
For David said, My son Solomon is yet young and tender, and the work is 
very great, and the house that he is to build for the Lord must be of great 
beauty and splendor, the wonder and admiration of all nations. 

And David called Solomon, and said to him, My son, I once wished to 
build a house for the Lord God of Israel, but He told me that I had car- 
ried on many great wars, and had shed much blood, therefore I must not 
build His house. But the Lord said, He would give me a son, whose name 
should be Solomon, and he should build the house, for he would be a man 
of peace, and the children of Israel should have peace and quietness all 
the days that he was king. And David told Solomon, that when he be- 
came king, he must build the Lord's house. And he said that he had gath- 




THE LAST DAYS OF DAVID. 



2 95 




ered together a great many things that would be needed in building it, 
such as gold and silver, brass and iron, stone and timber. 

And David called all the priests and the Levites together, and divided 
them into different orders, or courses, so that after Solomon had built the 
temple, each course might take its turn, in attending to its services. 

And Adonijah, one of David's sons, thought, that now his father "was 
old and weak, he would try and have himself 
made king in his father's place. And Joab, 
and Abiathar, the priest, helped him. And 
Adonijah slew many sheep and fat cattle, and 
made a great feast, to which he invited his 
brothers, and a great many of the chief men 
of Judah, and persuaded them to make him 
king. When David heard what Adonijah 
had done, he called for Zadok, the priest, and 
adonuahaskingabouttheno.se. Nathan, the prophet, and told them to take 
the king's servants with them, and go and cause Solomon to ride upon the 
king's own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. When they came there, 
David said, Zadok and Nathan should anoint Solomon. Then they should 
blow the trumpet and cry out, God save King Solomon! After that they 
were to bring him to David's royal house, and set him on David's throne, 
and he should be king over Israel. David did this, because Adonijah was 
trying to be made king. 

So David's servants did as he commanded; and they caused Solomon 
to ride upon the king's mule, and brought him 
to Gihon. Then Zadok and Nathan anointed 
him. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the 
people cried, God save King Solomon! and 
rejoiced with great joy. And Adonijah and 
his friends heard the shoutings, and asked why 
the people in the city were making such a noise. 
While they were speaking, Jonathan, the son 
of Abiathar, the priest, came in, and Adonijah 
asked him what news he brought. Jonathan 
answered, that David had made Solomon king, 
and the noise that they heard was the people shouting for joy. Then all 
the men who were with Adonijah became afraid, and rose up and went 
every man his way. And Adonijah was in great fear lest Solomon should 
kill him, for he knew that he had done very wrong. And when Solomon 
heard that Adonijah was afraid of him, he said, that if Adonijah would 
show himself a good and worthy man, he should receive no harm. So 
King Solomon sent for Adonijah, and when he came, he bowed himself 




DAVID INSTRUCTS SOLOMON. 



296 



THE LAST DAYS OF DAVID. 




before the king. And Solomon said to him, Go to thine house 

And David, before he died, called all the 
princes and chief men of his people together 
at Jerusalem. And he stood up before them, 
and told them that many years before, the Lord 
had chosen Solomon to build the house for the 
ark ; and the Lord had promised, that if Solo- 
mon would keep his commandments and do 
right, he and his descendants should continue 
to rule over the kingdom of Israel. And he 

begged the princes and chief men to be very DAVID MAKING SOLO mon king. 
careful to obey the commandments of God, so that they might always 
possess this good land, which had been given them, and leave it to their 

children after them. 

And David spoke to Solomon before them 
all, saying, And thou, Solomon, my son, know 
thou the God of thy father, and serve Him 
with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; 
for the Lord searcheth all hearts and under- 
standeth all the thoughts. If thou seek Him, 
He will be found of thee, but if thou forsake 
Him, He will cast thee off forever. Then he 
gave to Solomon patterns of the Lord's house 
and of all the things that were to be made for it; for the Lord had given 
David the patterns of all these things. And he gave to Solomon gold and 
silver for all kinds of service, And he said to Solomon, Be strong and of 
good courage, and do it, for the Lord God 
will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou 
hast finished it. 

And David called all the people together, 
and told them that he had set his heart on 
helping to build the Lord's house; therefore 
he had made ready many things for that pur- 
pose, such as gold and silver, brass, iron, wood, 
precious stones, and marble. He had not only 
given a great deal out of the spoils, taken from 
his enemies, he said, but he gave also, out of his own riches, three thous- 
and talents of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of pure silver, 
with which to overlay the walls; and gold and silver for the things that 
were to be used in the temple. And David said to the people, Who, then, 
is willing to give this day unto the Lord? And they brought gold, and 
silver, and brass, and iron, and beautiful stones, and the wood of oak and 




ADONIJAH S MEN AFRAID. 




DAVID PRESENTS SOLOMON AS KING. 



THE LAST DAYS OF DAVID. 



; 97 



cedars, according to what they had, or could give. And when David saw 

it he was very glad; 
and he thanked the 
Lord before all the 
people, because they 
all offered willingly to 
the Lord. And David 
said, All things come 
from thee, O Lord, 
and of thine own have 

THE CATTLE FOR SACRIFICE. WF > crivpn hflrk to tllPP 

we given oacK to tnee. BRINGING THE sacrifices. 
And David prayed unto the Lord, Give unto Solomon, my son, a perfect 
heart to keep thy commandments, and to do all these things. And David 
said to all the people, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the people 
blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and 
worshiped the Lord. The next day the people brought sacrifices and 






THE ANIMALS OFFERED FOR SACRIFICE. 



2 9 8 



Solomon's wise choice. 



offered them to the Lord. They offered up a thousand bullocks, and a 
thousand lambs, for a burnt offering and a peace offering. And they held 
a great feast around Mount Zion, all the people eating and drinking, and 
rejoicing, and praising God, who had given them rest from all their ene- 
mies. And they anointed Solomon a second time, and made him king 
again, over the children of Israel. And all the people, and their princes 
and their mighty men, and all the other sons of David, submitted them- 
selves to King Solomon. 

And David was king over Israel for forty years ; and he died at a good 
old age, beloved and honored by all the people; and they buried him in 
the city of Jerusalem. 



Solomon's Wise Choice. 




/ Kings iii. II Chronicles i. 1014 B. C. 

UT when David, his father, died, Solomon 
was still a young boy. But Solomon 
trusted in God, and did that which was 
right in His sight. And God spoke to 
him in a dream at night, and told Solomon 
that He would give him anything that he 
wanted; and He said to Solomon, Ask 
what I shall give thee. And Solomon 
said, Give me, now, wisdom and knowl- 
edge, that I may go out and come in be- 
fore this people, for who can judge so 
great a people? 

And God said to Solomon, Because thou hast not asked riches, wealth 
or honor, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; 
but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge 
My people, over whom I have made thee king, wisdom and ' knowledge 
is granted thee. And I will give riches, and wealth, and honor, such as 
none of the kings have had who went before thee, neither shall there be 
any after thee who shall have the like. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 

THIS was a wise choice of Solomon. Very often we have to choose 
between the wealth or pleasure of this world, and spiritual riches and 
delights. The things of the spirit must ever be preferred to those 
of sense. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and 
all these necessary things for the life which now is, shall be added unto 
you. 



THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON. 



2 99 



On the very threshhold of active existence many of us stand. God is 
asking us, What shall I give unto you? Let us pray for a wise and un- 
derstanding heart, for a preparation and readiness to do God's will, and 
to accomplish His blessed purposes, in the work of our life. 



The Judgment of Solomon. 




I Kings vii; II Chron. i. 1014 B. C. 

ND one day there came two women to 
King Solomon, and stood before him. 
And one of the women said, O my lord, 
this woman and I live in the same house, 
and we each of us had a little son. And 
in the night this woman lay upon her 
baby in bed, and it died ; so she rose up 
at midnight, and took my living baby 
from me, while I was asleep, and laid it 
in her bed, and put her dead baby into 
solomon's judgment. my bed. And when I woke in the morn- 

ing to feed my child, I found it was dead ; but when I looked at it, I saw 
it was not my own baby. 

Then the other woman said, You do not speak the truth; the living 
baby is my son, and the dead one is yours. 
Then the king commanded his servants 
to bring him a sword; and when they had 
brought it he said, Cut the living child in 
two, and give half to one woman and half 
to the other. Then the mother of the living 
baby cried out, O my lord, give her the liv- 
ing child. Do not kill it! But the other 
woman said, Let it belong to neither one of 
us, but cut it in two. Then Solomon knew 
at once that the woman who was willing to 
give up the child, rather than to have it killed, was the true mother; and 
he commanded the living child to be given up to her. Solomon did not 
intend to kill the child, but he took this way to find out the truth. And 
when all the people heard of what the king had done, they feared and 
obeyed him, for they saw that God had put wisdom into his heart, and 
helped him to judge aright. 

Now Solomon, besides being king over Israel, ruled over other na- 
tions also; for David, while he was alive, had made those nations his ser- 
vants, and now God made them obey Solomon as their ruler, so that he 




THE WOMEN WITH THE CHILDREN. 



3°° 



THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMOM. 




THE JUDGEMENT O^ SOLOMON. 



was needed for Solomon's table and for the 
table of his servants, thirty measures of fine 
flour, sixty measures of meal, the flesh of ten 
oxen that had been fatted in the stable, twenty 
oxen out of the pasture, and a hundred sheep; 
besides deer, roe-bucks, and fatted fowls. 






might have peace 
in his kingdom as 
the Lord had prom- 
ised him. And 
they brought pres- 
ents of great value 
to Solomon, and 
were his servants 
all the days of his 
life. And the Lord 
gaveSolomon great 
wisdom, and riches, 
and power. He had 
one thousand four 
hundred chariots, 
forty thousand 
horses for his char- 
iots, and twelve 
thousand horsemen. 
He had also many 
officers and ser- 
vants. There came 
to visit him in his 
royal house many 
great men. And 
every day there 




PRESENTS GIVEN SOLOMON. 






SOLOMON BUILDS THE TEMPLE. 



30I 



Solomon Builds the Temple. 



/ Kings v-viiy II Chron. ii-iv. 1014 B. C. 




ND Solomon began to prepare to build 
the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, on 
Mount Moriah. And he sent word to 
Hiram, king of Tyre, who had been 
David's friend, that he was about to 
build the house of the Lord, and he 
asked Hiram to send his servants into 
the forest to cut down cedar trees and 
hew them, because Hiram's servants, 
he said, knew better than his own, how 
to do such things. And Hiram did as 
Solomon asked him, and sent a great many men into the mountains of 
Lebanon, where there were forests of cedars. 
And Solomon sent great numbers of his own 
men to help Hiram's servants, and they 
worked together cutting down trees and 
hewing them. And when the timbers were 
all ready, the men carried them down to the 
sea, and fastened them together so as to 
make rafts, which they floated along the 
shore to Joppa, which was near Jerusalem. 
And Solomon gave Hiram wheat, and 
barley, and oil, and wine, for his servants. 
And Hiram sent to Solomon a man who had great skill in working in 

;old and silver, in brass, iron, stone, and wood, 
s= and in purple, blue, and fine linen. He could en- 
SIKL grave also, in a very beautiful manner. 

And the servants of Hiram and Solomon 
gathered together great stones and timbers, and 
made them ready for the building. And Solo- 
mon began to build the house of the Lord on 
Mount Moriah. 

According to the pattern which David had 
given Solomon, the temple was to be about one 
hundred feet in length, thirty-three feet wide, and fifty feet high. There 
was to be a porch built across the entire front of the main building, and 
carried up about one hundred and fifty feet higher, in the form of a tower. 
Narrow openings, also, were made in the house, for windows. And 




CEDARS FROM LEBANON. 




HIRAM S BOAT. 



302 



SOLOMON BUILDS THE TEMPLE. 




CHARIOTS OF HIRAM. 



cov- 



against the walls of the house, on the outside, Solomon built three stories 

of chambers, one chamber above the other. 
The house was built of stone; and every stone 
was made ready to go into its proper place in 
the wall, before it was brought to the place 
where the temple was to be built. So that the 
noise of neither hammer, nor ax, nor any tool 
of iron, was heard in the house while it was 
building. 

After the walls of stone had been built up, 
Solomon covered them over on the inside with 
boards of cedar, on which were carved the shapes of gourds and flowers, 
and he covered all the carved work over with gold. And the beams, and 
the posts, and the floor of the house, and the inside of the porch, he 
ered with pure gold. And he set precious 
stones in different parts of the house to make 
it more beautiful. And he divided the house 
inside into two rooms. The inner room, which 
was about thirty-three feet square, was to be 
the most holy place, in which the ark of the 
Lord was to stand. In front of this room was 
hung a veil of blue and purple and crimson, 
worked into the shapes of Cherubim. 

And Solomon covered the walls inside the 
most holy place with wood, on which, were 
carved the forms of cherubim, and palm trees, and flowers. And all the 
carved work, and the floor, he covered with gold. And he made two 
cherubim for the most holy place. Each cherubim was about fifteen feet 
in' height, and was first made out of the wood of the olive tree, and then 
covered over with gold. And he set the cherubims within the inner room, 
and their wings were stretched out, so that the outside wing of the one 
cherub touched the one wall, and the outside wing of the other, touched 
the other wall, while their inside wings touched one another in the middle 
of the room. 

And he made the doors for the house out of the wood of the fir tree, 
and carved upon them the figures of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers, 
and covered all the carved work with gold. 

And Solomon had two pillars of brass made, each over thirty feet in 
height, and ornamented with carved work. And he set the pillars up in 
front of the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left. And 
the right hand pillar, he named Jachin, and the left hand pillar, Soaz. In 
the court, Solomon placed a very large brass altar. And he made also a 




BUILDING THE TEMPLE. 



THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 



3°5 




LAYER OF BRASS. 



great basin of brass, and put this large basin on the backs of twelve oxen 

made of brass. This large basin was to be 

filled with water for the priests to wash in, 

and was called the brazen sea. And he put 

in the court ten Livers of brass, which he had 

made to wash the animals in, before they 

were sacrificed. These lavers were placed 

on wheels so that they could be moved about 

more easily. 

And Solomon made ten candlesticks of 
o-old, to give light in the house; five he 
placed on the right side, and five on the left. 

He made also the altar of gold for burning incense, and the table of gold 
for the shewbread. And the basins, and the spoons, and the censers, and 
the hinges for the doors of the house, were all made of pure gold. And 
he made a court for the priests, around the temple, and another court also, 
the great court, for the people. And in the court of the priests was placed 
the altar of burnt offering, the great basin, or sea of brass that rested upon 
the twelve oxen, and the ten lavers. 

More than seven years were passed before the temple and all the 
things belonging to it were finished. Then Solomon brought in all the 
things which David, his father, had given to the Lord; all the gold and 
silver, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the 
Lord. 



The Dedication of the Temple. 



/ Kings viii; II C/i 



v-vii. 1004 B. C. 

XD now when the temple was finished, Sol- 
omon sent word to all the elders and the 
chief men of Israel, asking them to come 
to Jerusalem, that they might be there 
when the ark of the Lord should be carried 
into the house. And the elders and the 
chief men, and all the people, came to- 
gether unto the king. And the priests 
' came and took up the ark, and carried it 
into the house of the Lord, into the most 
holy place, and set it under the wings of 
the two great cherubim that Solomon had made. And in the ark were 
the two tables of stone, upon which God had written the ten command- 
ments, while the children of Israel were encamped at the foot of Mount 




3° 6 



THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 



Sinai. The outer room of the house was filled with priests, and with 

singers all clothed in 

white, and holding 

harps, and other kinds 

of musical instruments 

in their hands. And 

some of the priests 

blew trumpets, while 

the singers sang these 

words, O give thanks 

unto the Lord for He 

is good ; for His mercy 
endureth forever. As soon as the priests had left the ark in the most holy 
place, and while the priests and singers were praising the Lord in the 
temple, the Lord Himself came down in a cloud, which filled the whole 
house, so that the priests and singers were obliged to go out and stand in 
the court, and the priests could not go in to minister, because the glory of 
the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 

Then Solomon stood upon a high place of brass, which he had made, 





THE PRIESTS AND THE ARK. 



THE PRIESTS PRAISING. 




THE GLORY UPON THE ARK. 



and placed in the midst of the court, and thanked God before all the peo- 
ple, because He had kept His promise, and helped Solomon build the house. 
And Solomon kneeled down before all the people, and spread out his 
hands toward heaven, and asked the Lord to take that house for his tem- 
ple. He prayed to the Lord that whenever any of the people were un- 
happy, or in trouble, and should come there to confess their sins, the Lord 



THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 



307 




would hear and forgive them. Whenever the children of Israel should 
be overcome by their enemies, because they had sinned against the Lord; 
or if, because of their wickedness, the Lord 
would send no rain upon the land; if there 
should be famine or pestilence; if locusts or 
caterpillars should come and eat up their grain, 
or the blight should destroy it; and the people 
should repent of their sins, and pray with their 
hands spread out toward heaven; Solomon 
asked that the Lord would hear them and for- 
give. Or, if the Lord should be angry with solomon "thanking god. 
them on account of their sins, and should deliver them into the hands of 

their enemies, and they should be carried 
away captives into a land far off or near ; yet, 
if in the land of their captivity, they should 
remember the Lord, and with their faces 
turned toward their own land, and toward 
that house, they should pray to the Lord 
with all their hearts, saying, We have 
sinned, we have done wrong and worked 
evil; Solomon begged that the Lord would 
forgive them, and bring them back again to 
their own land. 

Then Solomon closed his prayer with these words, Now, therefore, 
arise, O Lord God, into thy resting-place, thou, and the ark of thy strength ; 
let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints 
rejoice in goodness. O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anoint- 
ed; remember the mercies of thy servant David. 

had finished 
speaking, the 
Lord sent fire 
down from 
heaven upon the 
altar, and it 
J i^i^2M|J§Bi^^^ytj|. burned up the 
"~ offerings that 

were laid upon 
it. And when 

the people saw how the fire came down, and that the glory of the Lord 
filled the House, they bowed themselves down with their faces to the 
ground, upon the pavement, and worshiped. And they praised the Lord, 
saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever. 




SOLOMON PKAYING 



As soon as Solomon 





THE TEMPLE DEDICATED. 



SOLOMON BLESSING THE PEOPLE. 



3 o8 



SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. 



Then the king and all the people offered up sacrifices to the Lord. 
Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace-offerings, twenty-two thousand oxen, 
and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the peo- 
ple dedicated the house of God. And Solomon and all the people held a 
great feast for fourteen days ; and after that he sent all the people away 
to their own homes. And they blessed the king, and Solomon blessed 
them, and sent them away with their hearts full of joy and gladness, be- 
cause the Lord had been so good and kind to Solomon, and to all His peo- 
ple Israel. 

SOLOMOH AHD THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. 

I Kings ix-x ; II Chron. vii-ix. QQ2 B. C. 

HEN, after the Lord's house had been ded- 
icated, the Lord spoke to Solomon, and 
said He had heard his prayer, and would 
accept the house which Solomon had 
built. And He promised, that when He 
should send famine or pestilence, or trou- 
ble and sorrow of any kind, upon the 
people, as a punishment for their sins, 
and they should turn from their wicked- 
ness, and come to that house, and humble 
the dedication of the temple. themselves bef ore Him, praying earnestly 

for forgiveness, then He would pardon them and deliver them out of all 
their troubles. And, if Solomon would do right and obey His command- 
ments, the Lord said, he should be king over Israel as long as he lived, 
and after he was dead, there would always be one among his descendants 
who should sit upon the throne of Israel. 

But, the Lord said, if Solomon and the children of Israel should dis- 
obey him, and leave off serving Him, and should go and serve other gods, 
and worship them, then He would have them no longer for His people, 
but would cause them to be driven out of the land He had given them. 
And that beautiful house that had been built for Him, He would have no 
longer for His own, but would throw it down and destroy it, and it should 
become a proverb and a by-word among all people. And when those 
who passed by, should ask, Why hath the Lord done thus to this 
house? it should be answered, Because the people turned away 
from serving the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the 
land of Egypt, and have gone after other gods, to worship them and serve 
them. 

Solomon built, not only the house of the Lord, but he built a beautiful 




SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. 



309 




QUEEN OF SHEBA. 



palace for himself, also, at Jerusalem. And he built many cities, in which 

he kept his riches, and his chariots. All the heathen people who had been 

allowed to stay in the land, Solomon made his 

servants, to do his work. But of the children 

of Israel he did not make servants, for he made 

of them captains of his army, and soldiers, and 

horsemen, and rulers of his chariots. 

And Solomon commanded the sacrifices and 

burnt offerings to be offered up, according to 

the law that God had given to Moses; the daily 

morninsf and eveninsr sacrifice, the sacrifices on 

the Sabbath days, and on the three great feasts, namely, the feast of the 

passover, the feast of harvest, and the feast of the tabernacles. He also 

sent to the temple the priests and the Lev- 
ites, each course or order in its turn, as Da- 
vid, his father, had appointed them, to attend 
to their duties there. The porters, also, were 
set to -watch at the gates. 

Now there was a queen, who lived a great 
■"^' »^ ' ^i;|3f wa y °^' m a country called Sheba, who 
JhL' ;; i*"^^ >^^L^1o had heard of Solomon, and of his great wis- 

dom, and that the true God had given him 
great knowledge and riches ; and she wanted 

very much to hear him talk. So she came to Jerusalem to see him. And 

she brought with her a great many servants, and camels loaded with 

spices, and gold, and precious stones. And 

she talked with Solomon, and asked him 

many questions about things that were hard 

to understand. But Solomon answered all 

her questions, and told her all that she 

wanted to know. And when the Queen of 

Sheba saw all the grand and beautiful things 

that Solomon had built, and the food that 

was served on his tables; the number of his 

servants, and their rich clothing, she was 

filled with wonder. ^And she said to the king, that when she had heard 

in her own land of all his riches, and greatness and wisdom, she had not 

believed it; but now that she had seen for herself, the half had not been 

told her, for in all things he was far greater than she had heard. Very 

happy, she said, w^ere the people who stood around him, and heard the 

words of his wisdom. Then she gave the king presents of costly spices, 
and gold, and precious stones, and he gave her all the things that she liked 




QUEEN OF SHEBA MUSING. 




QUEEN OF SHEBA TRAVELING. 



3 io 



SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. 



to have. Then he 
blessed her, and she 
went back to her 
own country, with 
her servants. 

And Solomon 
made a great throne 
of ivory, with six 
steps leading to the 

QUEEN OF SHEBA BEFORE SOLOMON. top of it, and the 

throne and the steps were covered over with pure gold. On the steps 
were twelve lions, two lions on each of the steps, a lion on each side ; and 






SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. 

there was a seat on the top for the king. There was not a throne like it 
in any other kingdom. And all Solomon's drinking vessels, and 
all the vessels in his house were of pure gold ; for he sent his ships 
to far countries over the sea, and they came back every three years, 
loaded with gold and' silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. So Solomon was 



Solomon's last days. 



3 1 * 



greater, and richer, and wiser than all the other 
kings of the earth, and they came to him to 
hear his wisdom which the Lord had given 
him. And they brought him presents of gold 
and silver, garments, spices, horses and mules. 
And it was said that the king made gold as 
common as silver generally is, and silver as 
common as stones. 



■^Zr~ m 




king soluaion's ships. 



Solomon's Last Days. 




I Kings xi / II Chron. ix. QQ2 B. C. 

ND, after the Queen of Sheba had left Sol- 
omon, he had a great many waives. And 
he took some of his wives from among 
the heathen women, whom the Lord 
had forbidden the children of Israel to 
marry, lest they should tempt them to 
worship idols. And when Solomon 
grew old, these heathen wives drew his 
heart away from the true God, and he 
did not serve the Lord with all his heart, 
nor walk in the ways of David, his 
father. And they persuaded him to build altars for their idols on the high 
places round Jerusalem. And at last, to please his heathen wives, he 
himself paid honor to these gods. 

And God was very angry with Solomon, 
and told him, by his prophet, and in other 
ways, that because he had turned aside from 
the right way, and had disobeyed the com- 
mands of the Lord, he must be punished. 
Therefore his son should not be king over all 
the children of Israel, the Lord said, for the 
kingdom should be divided. Yet, for David's solomon and the queen op sheba. 
sake, God told him, this should not take place till after Solomon's death, 
neither would He take away all of the kingdom from his son, but this son 
should be king over two of the tribes of Israel. And because Solomon 
had sinned, God caused enemies to rise up against him and trouble him. 

And there w r as in the tribe of Ephraim, a strong and brave man, named 
Jeroboam, and God sent his prophet Ahijah to speak to him. Jeroboam, 




312 



SOLOMONS LAST DAYS. 



who had put on a new mantle, went out to Jerusalem, and as he was going 
on his way, the prophet met him; and they two were alone in the field. 




SOLOMON WORSHIPING IDOLS. 

And the prophet took the new garment that Jeroboam had on, and tore it 
in twelve pieces, and gave him ten of them. Then the prophet said, that 
this was to show how God was going to tear away ten tribes from the 
._ son of Solomon, and 

^iui^Vj^J^ ^ 1 i gj ve them to Jero- 
boam, because Solo- 
man was brin2"insr € 




idols in to be wor- 
shiped. And he told 
Jeroboam that all 
should go well with 
him, and he would be 

THE PROPHET REPROVING SOLOMON. a grea t king, and his 

sons after him, if he would go on serving the Lord, and the Lord only, 
and would keep from idols. When Solomon heard of this he tried to kill 
Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled into the land of Egypt, and stayed in that 
land until the death of Solomon. And Solomon ruled over Israel forty 
years; and he died and was buried in Jerusalem. 




^t:^: 



JEROBOAM FLEEING. 



FOR OLDER BOYS AND GIRLS, 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



The story of Solomon is one with a great deal of light and shade. The 
young King began his reign with every promise of a glorious success. . He 
asked of God, not riches or renown, but wisdom, that he might guide his 
people aright. And so God endowed him with wisdom, and he became 
the wisest of men. 

But there came a time when he grew to be self-confident and forgetful 
of the God who had so richly blessed him. He began to lean upon his own 
understanding. He became thoughtless and careless. He took a multi- 
tude of wives, after the custom of the monarchs of the East. These 
wives were of heathen birth and worshiped heathen gods. Solomon 
yielded to their entreaties and set up these gods in the place of the one 
God of heaven and earth. He, the wisest of men, bowed down before 
these false divinities. What a lesson to us is the sad lapse of this great 
king from truth and duty. It shows us that we too are in danger of fall- 
ing from onr high estate, that there is no one so gifted, so saintly, but 
there is the possibility of his departing from righteousness and God. It teaches 
us that we must be ever on the watch against the approach of sin. Danger 
may be about us in the very companions we are choosing. How very 
cautious then we ought to be regarding our associates. 

We must be distrustful of our own strength. Only as we continually 
lean on the Divine Arm are we safe. 

We must ever pray for wisdom from on high. Unless we can ask 
God's blessing with all our hearts upon what we wish to do, we must not 
attempt to do it. Solomon could not ask the God of his father David, and 
the God who had answered so wonderfully his own prayer in his youthful 
days, to bless him when he was worshiping the abominable gods of his 
heathen wives. 

Make this a supreme test if you are in doubt or difficulty, — if I cannot 
without reserve, ask God to be with me and bless me, I will not do that 
which I may be prompted to do. 

We are taught to keep our ideajs ever high and inspiring. We must 
not, with the increase of years, lose our enthusiasm for the right, our lofty 
conceptions, ovr sublime purposes. Our hearts must keep steady beat to 
the highest resolves we may have made in our brightest and best 
hours, in the love and strength of God. 



314 



THE REVOLT OF THE TEN TRIBES. 



The Revolt of the Ten Tribes. 




/ Kings xii; II Chron. x-xi. Q84 B. C. 

OW Solomon's son was named Rehoboam, 
and he became king after his father's 
death. And word was sent to Jeroboam, 
in Egypt, that Solomon was dead, and 
Jeroboam came back to the land of Israel. 
Then he, and all the people, came to Reho- 
boam, and said to him, that Solomon, his 
father, had not been kind to them, but had 
treated them very harshly; and they 
begged him to be more kind to them, and 
take off some of the burdens that Solomon 
had laid upon them. If Rehoboam would do this, the people said, they 
would serve him. Rehoboam told them to come back to him again after 
three days, and he would tell them what he would do. So the people 
went away. 

When they had gone, Rehoboam sent for the old men who had been 
his father's friends, and asked them what answer he should give the peo- 
ple. And they said that if he would be kind to the people, and do what 
they asked, and speak gently to them, they _r =s^g^, 

would have him for their king, and would be 
his servants forever. But Rehoboam did not 
like the advice which the old men gave him, 
so he took counsel with the young men who 
had been his companions, and asked them 
what they would advise him to do. And the 
young men advised him to answer the people 
sharply, and tell them that if his father had 
been hard upon them, he would be harder still, 
and if his father had beaten them with whips, he would beat them with 
scorpions. 

And after the three days were ended, Jeroboam and the people came 
again to the king. And Rehoboam followed the advice of the young 
men, and was rough towards the people, and spoke sharply to them, say- 
ing, If my father made your burdens heavy, I will make them still heav- 
ier, and if he punished you with whips, I will punish you with scorpions. 
This unkind answer made all the people so angry, that they said they 
would not have Rehoboam to rule over them any longer, but they would 
make Jeroboam their king. So ten of the tribes of Israel rebelled against 
Rehoboam, and took Jeroboam for their king, and he ruled over them, as 




THE OLD MEN AND REHOBOAM. 



THE REVOLT OF THE TEX TRIBES. 



315 



the prophet of the Lord had said. Only two tribes followed Rehoboam. 
These were the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. So the kingdom of Solo- 
mon was divided into two kingdoms, a large one called Israel, and a small 
one called Judah. 

After the ten tribes had gone away from Rehoboam, he sent a mes- 
senger to them, to let them know that he still looked upon them as his 
servants, but they stoned the messenger with stones so that he died. Then 
Rehoboam, with all speed went to Jerusalem, and gathered together an 




REHOBOAM ANSWERING THE PROPHET ROUGHLY. 



army of one hundred and eighty thousand men out of the tribes of Judah 
and Benjamin, and made ready to go and fight against the ten tribes, and 
compel them to come back and be his servants. But God sent Shemaiah, 
a prophet, to Rehoboam and his men, to forbid them going to war against 
their brethren, the children of Israel, for the Lord had caused them to go 
away from Rehoboam. So Rehoboam and his army obeyed the voice of 
the Lord, and did not go against Jeroboam. 



"cftsT 



316 



JEROBOAM AND THE PROPHET. 



Jeroboam ahd the Prophet. 




/ Kings xiii. gyj B. C. 

N a short time God sent a prophet to Jeroboam, 
to tell him of his wickedness, and how his idols 
should be overthrown and destroyed. Jero- 
boam was standing by an altar, burning incense 
to the calf which was at Bethel, when the 
prophet came to him. And the prophet spoke, 
saying, O, altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Be- 
hold a king shall come out of Judah, Josiah by 
"/'^"^^I^^SJSS^K name, who shall destroy the priests that burn 
/ iSB^ 1 incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be 

burnt upon thee. And the prophet said, in 
order to show Jeroboam that he spoke the 
truth, the altar, on which he was burning in- 
cense, should be broken in pieces that very day, 
and its ashes scattered upon the ground. 
When Jeroboam heard this, he was very angry, and wished to punish 
the prophet; so he stretched out his hand to take hold of him, and cried 
out to his servants, Lay hold of him. But while his hand was stretched 
out, God made his arm dry and stiff, so that he could not draw it back to 
him again. And at the same time, the altar was broken, and the ashes fell 
upon the ground, as the prophet had said. Then Jeroboam knew that the 
Lord had done this to him, and he begged the prophet to pray to the Lord 
for him, that his hand might be made well again. And the man of God 
prayed for Jeroboam, and his hand was 
made well, and became as it was before. 

Then the king asked the prophet to go 
home with him and take some food and rest 
himself, and he would give him a reward 
also. But the prophet answered that he 
would not go with him, neither would he 
eat or drink anything in that place, though 
Jeroboam should offer him half of all that 
was in his house; For God commanded me, 
the prophet said, neither to eat bread nor 
drink water in this place, neither to go back by the same way that I came. 
So the prophet set out to return to the land of Judah by another way. 

Now at that time, there lived in Bethel, an old man, who also was a 
prophet, and his sons came and told him of all that the man of God had 
done, and of what he had said to the king. Then their father asked them 




•JEROBOAM AND THE PROPHET. 



JEROBOAM AND THE PROPHET. 



317 



which way he had gone; for the sons had seen which road the prophet of 
Judah had taken. And the old prophet of Bethel told his sons to saddle 
an ass for him ; and he got upon the ass and followed after the man of 
God. And he found him sitting under an oak, and he asked him, saying, 
Art thou the man of God that came from Judah? He answered, I am. 
Then the old man asked him to go back with him and eat bread. But 
the man of God said, I may not go back with thee, neither will I eat 
bread nor drink water with thee in this place, for the Lord said to me, 
Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor go back by the way 
that thou earnest. Then the old man said to 
him, I am a prophet, also, as thou art, and an 
angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, 
saving, Bring him back with thee into thine 
house, that he may eat bread and drink water. 
But the old man told him a lie, for God had 
not sent any angel to him. 

And the prophet from Judah listened to his 
words, and went back with him, and did eat * -■*—*- ^^-^'^^s^ 

, -, 1J-1 , - 1-1 A J THE PROPHET AND THE LION. 

bread and drink water in his house. And as 

they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came unto the old man, and he 
spoke to the prophet from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, because 
thou hast disobeyed the Lord, and hast come back, and eaten bread and 
drunk water in this place, thy dead body shall not be buried in the sepul- 
chre of thy fathers. And after he had eaten bread and drunk water, the 





THE DISOBEDIENT PROPHET. 



318 THE SIN OF JEROBOAM. 

prophet from Judah rose up and got upon his ass, and set out to go back 
to his own land. And as he was going on his way, a lion met him and 
killed him, and his dead body lay in the road, and the lion stood by it, and 
the ass also, for the lion did not touch the ass. 

And some men, who were passing that way, saw the dead body lying 
in the road, and the lion standing by it, and they went and told it in the 
city of Bethel where the old prophet lived. And when the old prophet 
heard of it, he said, It is the man of God who disobeyed the Lord, there- 
fore he has sent this lion against him to kill him, and it has slain him as 
the Lord said. And the old man told his sons to saddle an ass for him. 
And they saddled it. And he went to the place where the dead body of 
the prophet was lying, and the lion and the ass were standing by it. The 
lion had not eaten the dead body, nor hurt the ass. 

And the old man from Bethel took up the dead body, and laid it upon 
the ass, and brought it back to Bethel, and there he buried it in his own 
sepulchre, and mourned over it, saying, Alas my brother! And the old 
man spoke to his sons, saying, When I am dead, bury me in the sepulchre 
wherein the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones; for 
the words which he spoke against the altar in Bethel, and against all the 
houses of the idols in the kingdom of Israel, shall surely come to pass. 



The Sih of Jeroboam. 



/ Kings xii. 980 B. C. 

FTER the ten tribes had chosen Jeroboam king, 
they all went away to their homes. Now God 
had commanded that all the people in Canaan 
should go up to Jerusalem at certain times, to 
worship Him at the temple. But Jeroboam 
was afraid that if the people of the ten tribes 
should go to Jerusalem to worship at the tem- 
ple, and offer sacrifices there, they would want 
to have Rehoboam for their king again, and 
would put Jeroboam to death. Therefore Jer- 
oboam made two large calves of gold, and set them up in different parts* 
of his kingdom. And he told the people of the ten tribes not to go to 
Jerusalem to worship, for it was too far away, but to worship the calves 
that he had set up; for, he said, they were the gods which had brought 
their fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 

Then he called himself the high priest, and taught the people to offer 
sacrifices to these golden images. And he built houses for the idols in the 




THE DEATH OF JEROBOAM. 



319 



places where they had been set up, one at Dan, and the other at Bethel, 
and the people went there to worship them. And Jeroboam took wicked 
men, who did not belong to the sons of Levi, and made them priests to 
his idols, and they offered up sacrifices to them ; but Jeroboam would not 
let the priests and the Levites offer up sacrifices to the true God. So all 
the priests and the Levites who were living in Jeroboam's kingdom, went 
away, and came to Jerusalem. And many of the people also, who wanted 
to worship the Lord God, and would not worship the calves, left the land 
of the ten tribes, and came back to Rehoboam. 

And Jeroboam did that which was evil in the sight of God, for he per- 
suaded the people not to go to Jerusalem to worship, but taught them to 
serve idols. He made a feast also for the people to keep at Bethel, instead 
of the feasts which the Lord had said should be kept at Jerusalem. And 
the people sinned with Jeroboam, and did as he told them, for they wor- 
shiped the calves that he had set up, and did not go any more to worship 
the Lord at Jerusalem. 



The Death of Jeroboam. 



IK, 



ingi 



95 6B. C. 








jpf. N spite of the message which God's prophet had 
brought to Jeroboam, the king, with his people, 
still kept on sinning and serving their idols. At 
that time his son Abijah became very sick. And 
Jeroboam remembered that there was another 
prophet, named Ahijah, who, many years before, 
had told him that he should be king over ten of 
the tribes of Israel. So he told his wife to put 
>,^ •" on other clothing, that no one might know that 

she was the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh, 
where the prophet lived. And he told her to 
take with her ten loaves of bread, and cakes, and 
a cruse of honey, as a present for the prophet. 
And she was to ask him whether the child would 
get well or not. And Jeroboam's wife did so. She changed her clothing, 
and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah, the prophet. 

Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim, because he was very 
old; but the Lord had told him that Jeroboam's wife was coming to his 
house to ask about her sick son, and she would pretend to be some other 
woman, but Ahijah must speak to her such words as the Lord should tell 
him. When the prophet heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at 




3 2 ° 



THE REIGNS OF NADAB, BAASHA, ELAH, ZIMRI AND OMRI. 




JEROBOAM S SICK CHILD. 



the door, he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam ; I know thee, and 

have a sad message to give thee. Go, tell 
Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God, I took 
thee from among the people, and made thee 
ruler over my people Israel ; I took a greater 
part of the kingdom away from Rehoboam, 
Solomon's son, and gave it to thee. Yet 
thou hast disobeyed me, and done great evil 
in my sight; for thou hast not served me, 
but hast made for thyself other gods, and 
worshiped them. Therefore I will send 

evil upon thy house, and upon thy family, until none of them are left 

alive. The dogs shall eat those that die in the city, and the birds shall eat 

the dead bodies of those that die in the field ; for the Lord hath spoken it. 

Go back to thy home, and when thou comest 

there, the child shall die. And all Israel shall 

mourn for him and bury him; for he, only, of 

all Jeroboam's family, shall be buried in the 

grave. And so it was, that after Jeroboam's 

wife arose and went to her own home, as 

she came in at the door, the child died. And 

they buried him, and all the people mourned 

for him as the Lord had said through Ahijah, 

his prophet. 

And Jeroboam ruled over the kingdom of Israel twenty-two years: 

and he died. 




AHIJAH AND JEROBOAM' S WIPE. 



The Beiges of Hadab, Baasha, 

and Omrl ' 



Elah, Zimri, 



I Kings xv-xvi. 9J1-Q51 B. C. 

FTER the death of Jeroboam, his son Nadab became 
king. And he followed in the steps of his father, and 
did wickedly, for he would not serve God, but wor- 
shiped the idols that Jeroboam had set up. After he 
had been king about two years, he led his army against 
one of the cities of the Philistines, called Gibbethon, and 
laid siege to it. While he was there, a man named Baasha, rose up 
against him, and slew him. And Baasha became king over the ten tribes 
of Israel. And he killed every one of Jeroboam's family. 

The Lord let Baasha do this, because Jeroboam had sinned, and had 
also caused the people to sin. And thus the words which Ahijah, the 




THE REIGNS OF NADAB, BAASHA, ELAH, ZIMRI AND OMRI. 321 

Lord's prophet, spoke to the wife of Jeroboam came true, for the Lord 
sent evil upon Jeroboam's family, until all of them were destroyed. But 
Baasha did evil in the sight of the Lord, and worshiped idols instead of 
serving the true -God. And the Lord sent Jehu, a prophet, to Baasha, to 
tell him of his wickedness. And Jehu came to him, and said, The Lord 
raised thee out of a low place, and made thee king over his people Israel, 
but thou hast disobeyed the Lord, and worshiped idols. Therefore, be- 
cause thou hast done this, and because thou hast slain all the family of 
Jeroboam, the Lord will bring upon thee and thy family all the evil that 
he sent upon Jeroboam and his family. And Baasha reigned over the 
kingdom of Israel twenty-four years, and he died, and was buried in 
Tirzah. 

Elah, the son of Baasha, was made king after his father's death, and 
lived in the city of Tirzah. After he had been 
king for two years, he was one day drinking 
himself drunk in the house of his steward, and 
Zimri, the captain of half his chariots, rose up 
against him and slew him. And Zimri made 
himself king. And he put to death all the 
family of Baasha, as Jehu had said he would, 
until not one of them was left alive. 

Now, at this time, the men of Israel were 
away fighting against the Philistines, and when zimbi killing elah. 

they heard that Zimri had killed Elah, and made himself king, they took 
Omri, the captain of the army, and made him king; for they said that 
they would not have Zimri to be their ruler. Then Omri came with his 
army, and laid siege to the city of Tirzah, where Zimri was. When 
Zimri saw that they would certainly take the city, he went into the king's 
palace, and set it on fire, and he burned himself up there. And he was 
king for seven days. 

After that, the people of Israel were divided into two parties; one 
party wanted Tibni, the son of Ginath, to be made king, and the other 
party followed Omri. But the people who were in favor of Omri over- 
came the others, and Omri was made king. 

After Omri began to reign, he bought a hill, called the hill of Samaria, 
for two talents of silver, and he built the city of Samaria upon the hill. 
And Omri did wickedly, for he worshiped the idols that Jeroboam had 
set up, and caused the people to worship them, also. He reigned for 
twelve years, and he died, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab, his son, 
reigned in his stead. 




322 



ELIJAH FORETELLS A FAMINE. 




Elijah Foretells a Famme. Elijah fed by 

Eayeks. Elijah ahd the Womm 

of Zahephath. 

I Kings xvii. gio B. C. 

OW Ahab, Omri's son, was more wicked than 
any of the other kings of Israel had been. 
He had married the daughter of a heathen 
king, and her name was Jezebel. This 
woman's favorite idol was Baal, and she 
persuaded Ahab to worship Baal, as well as 
the golden calves that Jeroboam had made. 
And Ahab built a temple for this idol, in the 
city of Samaria, and he chose wicked men 
to be priests to the idol, and to offer up sac- 
rifices upon the altar which he built for 
Baal. And he caused the people of Israel to worship Baal, so that the 
Lord was displeased with Ahab, and sent 
the prophet Elijah to tell him that God 
would punish him and the people for their 
sins. 

And Elijah came to Ahab, and told him 
that the Lord had said that there should be 
no rain in the land of Israel for years, until 
Elijah should ask for it. After Elijah had 
spoken these words, he fled away to a place 
where the Lord had told him to go, that he 
might be safe from Ahab. For the Lord had told him to go and hide 
himself in a secret place where there was a brook 
or pond ; and God promised to send some ravens 
to feed him. So Elijah lived near the brook, 
and drank of the water; and every morning and 
every evening the ravens brought him bread and 
meat to eat. But after a, while the brook dried 
up, because there had been no rain. Then the 
Lord told Elijah to go to a place called Zarephath, 
for there was a widow woman there who would 
give him food, and let him live in her house. So 
Elijah arose and went to Zarephath. 

When he came to the gate of the city, he saw the woman picking up 
sticks, and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water 
in a cup that I may drink. As she was going after the water, Elijah 




AHAB S IDOL TEMPLE. 




ELIJAH AND THE WOMAN OF ZAREPHATH. 



323 



called to her again, and asked her to bring a small piece of bread in her 

hand. But the woman answered, that she had 
nothing for herself and her son to eat, but a 
handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a 
cruse, and she was going to make a cake, and 
bake it with a fire of the sticks that she had 
gathered. And that was all the food she could 
get, she said, and they must die of hunger after 
they had eaten it. 

But Elijah told her not to fear, but to go 
and bake a little cake first, and bring it to him, 
and then she could bake one for her son. For God had promised, Elijah 
said, that there should always be some meal in her barrel, and some oil in 
her cruse, until the Lord should send rain upon the earth. And the 




ELIJAH AND THE RAVENS. 




ELIJAH MEETING THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH. 



woman went and did as Elijah told her. And it was, as he had said. 
There was always meal and oil, enough for them to eat. And the widow, 
and her son, and the prophet went on, living on the meal and oil, every 
day for a whole year, because God fed them. 

After this, the son of the widow grew very sick and died; and his 



3 2 4 



ELIJAH AND THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. 



mother grieved for him. She thought that God was angry with her, and 
had made the child die as a punishment for her sins, and she blamed Eli- 
jah, as the cause of her son's death. And Elijah said, Give me thy son. 
And he took the child out of her arms, and carried him up into his own 
room, and laid him on his bed. And Elijah cried unto the Lord, and said, 
O Lord my God, hast thou brought evil upon the widow, in whose house 




ELIJAH PRAYING FOR THE RETURN OF THE CHILD 



I live, by slaying her son? Then he stretched himself upon the child 
three times, and begged the Lord to have mercy upon the widow, and let 
the child's soul come back into him again. And God heard Elijah's 
prayer, and let the child's soul come into him again, and he was alive once 
more; and Elijah gave him to his mother. 



Elijah akd the Prophets of Baal. 



/ Kings xviii. qo6 B. C 

NOW Ahab and his wife Jezebel, had been looking for Elijah for a 
long while, but they did not know where he was hid. Ahab sent to 
all the countries round, to look for him; but no one could find him. There 



ELIJAH AND THE PROPHETS OE BAAE. 



325 



were many other prophets of the Lord in the land of Israel, besides Eli- 
jah, and that wicked woman, Jezebel, hated them, and tried to kill them, 
because they spoke against the worship of idols, and wanted the people 
to worship God. 
Now there was 
a very good man, 
named Obadiah, 
who was the 
steward of 
Ahab's house, 
and he loved and 
feared the Lord. 
And when he 
saw that Jezebel 
intended to slay 
the Lord's 
prophets,he took 
a hundred of 
them and hid 
them in caves 
where they 
would be safe 
from Jezebel's 
anger. And he 
sent them food 
to eat and water 
to drink. And 
at that time the 
famine was very 
great in the land. 

And the Lord spoke to Elijah, saying, Go, show thyself to Ahab, and 
I will send rain upon the earth. And Elijah set out, as the Lord com- 
manded, to go and show himself to Ahab, but Ahab knew not that Elijah 
was coming to see him. 

And Ahab called Obadiah, his chief servant, and told him to go 
through all the land where there were springs of water and brooks, and 
see if he could find grass enough there to feed the horses and mules upon, 
so that they would not all die of starvation. So Ahab and Obadiah set 
out to go through the land; and Ahab went one way by himself, and 
Obadiah went another way by himself. And as Obadiah was going on 
his way, Elijah met him. And Obadiah knew him, and fell on his face, 
and said, Art thou my lord Elijah? Elijah answered, I am; go and tell 




ELIJAH GIVES THE CHILD TO HIS MOTHER. 



326 



ELIJAH AND THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. 



King Ahab that I am here. Obadiah answered that the king had sent 
into every kingdom and nation to look for Elijah, but could not find him. 
And now, Obadiah said, as soon as I am gone the Lord will carry thee to 
some place where thou canst not be found; and when I shall tell Ahab 
that thou art here, and he shall come, and not find thee, then he will kill 
me. But Elijah promised before the Lord that he would show himself to 
Ahab that day. 

So Obadiah went and told Ahab what Elijah had said, and Ahab came 
to meet Elijah. And when he saw the prophet, he spoke angrily to him, 
and said, Art thou the man that troubleth the people Israel? Then Elijah 
answered, It is not I that trouble Israel, but thou and thy family, for you 
have disobeyed the Lord, and worshiped Baal. Then Elijah told Ahab 
to send and gather all the people together at Mount Carmel, and to bring 
also the four hundred and fifty prophets or priests of Baal with him. 

So Ahab sent word unto all the people of Israel, and gathered them 

together, with all the prophets of Baal. And 
Elijah came to all the people and said, How 
long halt ye between two opinions? If the 
Lord be God, follow him ; but if Baal, then 
follow him. And the people answered him 
not a word. Then said Elijah to the people, 
I, even I only, remain a prophet of the 
Lord, but Baal's prophets are four hundred 
and fifty men. Let them therefore give us 
two bullocks, and let the prophets of Baal 
choose one bullock for themselves, and cut 
it in pieces, and lay it on wood, but put no fire under. And I will dress 
the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under. And call ye 
on the name of your gods, and I will call upon the name of the Lord; and 
the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. 

And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock 
for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; but put no fire under 
it. And the prophets of Baal took the bullock that was given them, and 
dressed it, and laid it on wood on the altar of Baal. Then they called on 
the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But 
there was no voice, neither any that answered. And they leaped up and 
down before their altar. 

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry 
aloud, for he is a god ; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he has 
gone on a journey, or, perhaps, he is asleep, and must be awaked. 

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves with knives after their man- 




ELIJAH ON MOUNT CARMEL. 



ELIJAH AND THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. 



329 



ner, till the blood gushed out. But there was no voice, nor any to an- 
swer. And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And 
they all came near. And he took twelve stones, a stone for each of the 
twelve tribes of Israel, and built up the altar of the Lord that had been 
thrown down, and made a trench all around it.. And he put wood upon 
the altar, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. Then he 
said to the people, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it upon the 
burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And the people did so. And Elijah 
said, Do it a second time. And they did it a second time. And he said, 
Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the -water ran 
round about the altar; and he filled the trench, also, with water. 

And at the time of the offering up of the evening sacrifice, Elijah 
drew near to the altar, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of 
Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am 
Thy servant. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, 
that this people may know that Thou art 
the Lord God, and that Thou hast turned 
their hearts back again. 

Then the fire of the Lord fell, and 
burned up the sacrifice and the -wood, and 
the stones, and the dust, and licked up the 
water that was in the trench. And when 
all the people saw it, they fell on their 
f^ces, and said, The Lord He is God! The 
Lord He is God! 

And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal, let not one of 
them escape. And the people took them ; and Elijah brought them down 

to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. 
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, 
eat and drink ; for there is a sound of much 
rain. So Ahab went up to eat and drink; but 
Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel, 
and he cast himself down upon the earth, and 
put his face between his knees. And he said 
to his servant, Go up now, look toward the 
sea. And he went up and looked; but came 

THE RAIN FLOWING IN TORRENTS. back and g^ There [ S nothing. And Elijah 

said, Go again seven times. And at the seventh time he came and said, 
Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. 

And Elijah said to him, Go up, and say to Ahab, Make ready thy 
chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And in the mean 
while the heavens became black with clouds and wind, and there was a 




ELIJAH'S SACRIFICE. 



WSegSSs^ 




33o 



ELIJAH FLEES FROM JEZEBEL. 



great rain, and the water flowed in torrents. And the hand of the Lord 
was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab till he 
came to Jezreel. 




ELIJAH UNDER THE JUNIPER TREE. 

Elijah Flees From Jezebel. 

/ Kings xix. qo6 B. C. 



OW Ahab told Jezebel, his wife, all that 

Elijah had done, and how he had slain 
all the prophets of Baal with the sword. 
Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, 
saying, So let the gods do to me, and 
more also, if I make not thy life as the 
life of one of them by to-morrow, about 
this time. And when Elijah heard it, he 
arose and fled for his life, and came to 
Beer-sheba, which is in Judah, and left 
his servant there. But he himself went 
on a day's journey into the wilderness, 
and sat down under a juniper tree. And 




ELIJAH FLEES FROM JEZEBEL. 



31 



he begged that he might die and said, It is enough ; now, O Lord, take 
away my life. 

And as he lay and slept under the juniper tree, an angel came and 
touched him, and said, Arise and eat. And Elijah looked, and lo, there 
was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of 
water at his head. And he did eat and drink, 
aud then lay down again. And the angel of 
the Lord came again the second time, and 
touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because 
the journey is too great for thee. And he 
arose, and did eat and drink, and went on the 
strength of the food forty days and forty 
nights, until he came to Horeb, the mount of 
God. And he went into a cave on the moun- 
tain and lodged there. 

And the Lord spoke to him, saying, What doest thou here, Elijah? 

He answered, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; 
for the children of Israel have turned away from thy covenant, thrown 




ELIJAH IN THE CAVE. 




ELIJAH SLA. TING TUE PRIESTS OF BAAL. 



332 v 



ELIJAH FLEES FROM JEZEBEL. 



down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword ; and I, even I, 
only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. 

And the Lord said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the 
Lord. 

And oehold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the 
mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces ; but the Lord was not in the 
wind. And after j;he wind there came an earthquake; but the Lord was 
not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there came a fire; but 




ELIJAH BOWING ON MOUNT HOREB. 

the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. 
And it was so, that when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his man- 
tle, and went and stood at the mouth of the cave. 

And he heard a voice saying, What doest thou here, Elijah? 

Elijah answered, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; 
because the children of Israel have turned away from thy covenant, 
thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword ; and I, 
even I, only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away. 

And the Lord said, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Da- 
mascus; and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and 



BENHADAD AND AHAB. 



333 



Jehu, the son of Nimshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and 
Elisha, the son of Shaphat, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy place. 
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael 
shall Jehu slay. And then the Lord told Elijah that there were seven 
thousand persons in the land of Israel, who had not bowed the knee to the 
false idol, Baal. 

And Elijah went, and found Elisha, plowing with twelve yoke of oxen 




ELIJAH CASTING HIS MANTLE UPON ELISHA. 



in the field. And Elijah cast his mantle upon him; meaning by this, that 
Elisha was to go with him and be a prophet. And Elisha said, Let me, I 
pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. 

So Elisha went home and made a feast for the people there. Then 
he went afterwards to Elijah, and waited upon him. 



BENHADAD AND .AHAB. 



1 Kings xx. go i B. C. 

AND Benhadad, the king of Syria, gathered all his host together. And 
he had with him thirty-two kings, and horses and chariots. And 
he went up to lay siege to the city of Samaria and fight against it. And 
he sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, who was in the city, saying, 
Thy silver and thy gold are mine, also thy wives and thy children, the 
best of them. 



334 



BENHADAD AND AHAB. 



And Ahab sent word back to Benhadad, saying, My lord, O king, I 
am thine and all that I have; for Ahab was afraid of him. 

And Benhadad sent other messengers to Ahab, saying, Although thou 
hast said, My gold and silver, and wives and children are thine, yet I will 
send my servants to thee to-morrow, and they shall search thy house, and 
they shall take away whatever is desirable or pleasant to thee. 

Then Ahab called together all the elders of the land, and told them 
what the king of Syria had said. And the elders said to Ahab, Do not 
listen to him, or consent to his demand. 

And Ahab said unto the messengers what the elders had advised him 
to say. When Benhadad, who was drinking with the kings, heard this, 
__. ___ *_-i. f ;_-^-__;- L : . he said, I will pull down the walls of Samaria 

and grind them to dust. And Ahab sent word 
to him, not to boast himself at the beginning of 
the fight, as though he had gained the victory 
at the end of it. And Benhadad ordered his 
soldiers to march up against the city. And be- 
hold, there came a prophet to Ahab, and said, 
Hast thou seen this great army of Benhadad? 
benhadad fleeing. Behold, thus saith the Lord, I will deliver it into 

thy hand this day, and thou shalt know that I am the Lordo 

And Ahab said, By whom ? And the prophet said, By the young men 
of the princes of the provinces. And Ahab said, Who shall order the 
battle? And the prophet answered, Thou. Then the young men went 
out with the army, and fought against the Syrians, and gained the victory 
over them. And Benhadad escaped on a horse, 
with the horsemen. 

At the end of a year, Benhadad came up 
again with a great army, to fight against Israel. 
And a man of God said to Ahab, The Lord 
will deliver this great army into thy hands. 







And the children of Israel fought 



the 




BENHADAD' S MEN ESCAPING. 

And Benhaded fled into 



Syrians, and slew one hundred thousand foot- 
men in one day. And the rest of the army 
fled to the city of Aphek, and a wall fell upon 
twenty-seven thousand of them, and killed them, 
the city, and hid in an inner chamber. 

And his servants said unto him, We have heard that the kings of Is- 
rael are merciful kings, let us put on sackcloth, and ropes round our necks, 
and go to the king of Israel. And they did so, and bowed before Ahab, 
and said to him, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. 
And Ahab said, Is he yet alive? He is my brother. And the servants 



naboth's vineyard. 



335 



were glad when he said this. And Ahab said, 
Go bring him. Then Benhadad came to him. 
And Ahab told him to come up and sit in the 
chariot with him. And Benhadad said to 
Ahab, The cities which my father took from 
thy father I will give back to thee. And they 
made a covenant with each other. But the 
Lord was greatly displeased with Ahab for 
doing this. And a prophet with ashes on his 
face met the king and said to him, Because 




BOWING BEFORE AHAB. 



thou hast let this wicked ki 



and made this covenant with him, thy 



life shall be taken for his life, and thy people shall be killed for his people. 



Haboth's Viheyard. 




/ Kings xxi. goo B. C. 

ND there was a man named Naboth, who 
lived in the city of Jezreel, and had a vine- 
yard close to the palace of Ahab. And Ahab 
wanted the vineyard very much for a garden, 
and offered to give Naboth a better vineyard 



for it somewhere else, or 



to give him the 



value of it in money. But Xaboth did not 
wish to sell it, as it had come to him from 
his father; and, as it was his own, he had a 
right to keep it. 
But Ahab was greatly displeased, because 

Naboth would not sell the vineyard. And he lay dowm upon his bed, and 

turned away his face, and would not eat. And 

Jezebel, his wife, asked him, Why art thou so 

sad that thou dost not eat? And he told her 

that Naboth would not sell his vineyard to him. 
And Jezebel said to him, Dost not thou gov- 
ern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat, and 

let thy heart be merry. I will give thee the 

vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. So she 

wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them 

with his seal, and sent them unto the elders and 

nobles of the city where Naboth was living. And she commanded them, 

in these letters, to get two men to swear to a lie against Naboth, and say, 

that he had spoken wickedly against God and the king; and then, they 

were to take Naboth out and stone him to death. 




336 



JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAB. 




And the elders and the nobles did so. And they carried Naboth out 
of the city and stoned him. 

And when Jezebel heard that Naboth 
was dead, she said to Ahab, Arise and take 
for thyself the vineyard of Naboth, the Jez- 
reelite, which he would not sell thee, for 
he is dead. And so Ahab arose and took 
the vineyard, as his wicked wife had told 
him to do. 

And the .Lord told Elijah to go and meet 
Ahab in the vineyard of Naboth, and say to 
him, In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs 
lick thy blood. And Elijah went to meet Ahab. And Ahab said to him, 
Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And Elijah answered, I have found 
thee, because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord. 
And Elijah told him that the Lord would bring evil upon his house and 
cut off his family, as He had the house of Jeroboam. And he said to him, 
The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. And there was no 
king who did so wickedly as Ahab, whom Jezebel stirred up to do evil. 
He was very guilty in worshiping idols, as were the Ammonites and 
other heathen nations about him. 



THE STONING OS 1 NABOTH. 



JEHOSHAPHAT AHD AHAB. 




/ Kings xxii. 8Q9 B. C. 

ND Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to Ahab 
the king of Israel. And Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, 
Wilt thou go with me to battle to take Ramoth-gilead 
from the Syrians, for the city belongs to me? And 
Jehoshaphat said, I am willing to go. But Jehosha- 
phat said to Ahab, I pray thee, inquire of the Lord 
whether we shall go to battle or not. 

And Ahab gathered together four hundred of his prophets, and asked 
them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or not? And they said, 
Go, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And Jehosh- 
aphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we may 
inquire of him? And Ahab said, There is yet one man, Micaiah, but I 
hate him, because he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. 
And Jehoshaphat answered, Let not the king say so. So Abah sent for 
Micaiah out of the prison where he had put him. While the chief officer 
was going for Micaiah, Ahab and Jehoshaphat put on their royal robes 
and sat, each upon his throne. And a prophet, named Zedekiah, made 



JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAB. 



337 




ZEDEKIAH AND MICAIAH. 



horns of iron, and pushed them before him, and said to Ahab, Thus shalt 
thou push the Syrians, till thou have destroyed them. And all the proph- 
ets went on saying, Go up. 

The chief officer who was bringing Micaiah, said to him, All the 
prophets speak good words to the king; I pray 
thee to speak good words, also, as they do. But 
Micaiah answered, As the Lord liveth, what 
the Lord saith, that will I do. 

As soon as Micaiah appeared, Ahab said to 
him, Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to 
battle, or shall we not? Micaiah answered, 
Go. But he said it in such a way, that Ahab 
knew it was not what the prophet really 
meant. Then Ahab made believe as though he wanted to know the truth, 
and said, How many times shall I desire thee to tell me nothing but what 
is true? And Micaiah said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as 
sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said to me, These have no 
master; let them go back each one to his house in peace. 

And Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would 
prophesy no good concerning me, but evil ? 

And Zedekiah, one of Ahab's servants, smote Micaiah on the cheek. 
And Ahab said, Put this fellow r in prison, 
and feed him with bread and water, and 
punish him, until I come again in peace. 

And Micaiah said, If thou come back at 
all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by 
me. 

Then Ahab and Jehoshaphat went up to 
Ramoth-gilead. And Ahab said to Jehosh- 
aphat, I will not put on my royal robes, but 
put thou on thy robeso This Ahab did, that micaiah in prison. 

the enemy might think Jehoshaphat was the king of Israel. 

Before going into battle, Benhadad, the king of Syria, had commanded 
the thirty-two captains of his chariots to fight only with the king of Israel. 
So when they saw Jehoshaphat with his robes on, they said, Surely this is 
the king of Israel. And they began to fight him. But Jehoshaphat cried 
out. And when they saw he was not Ahab, they turned away from him. 
And a certain Syrian drew his bow, and shot an arrow without think- 
ing of any person in particular. But the arrow went between the joints 
of the armor which Ahab wore, and pierced him. And Ahab said to the 
driver of his chariot, Carry me out of the army; for I am wounded. But 
they held up Ahab in his chariot while the battle lasted. And at evening 




33$ 



JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAB. 




the king died. 



THE ARROW PIERCING AHAB. 

And at the same time, an order was given in a loud voice 
for all the soldiers to go to their own homes. 
So the army of Ahab fled, and the driver of 
the chariot took the dead body of Ahab to his 
own city, Samaria, and they buried the king 
there. 

And as they washed the chariot of the king 
in the pool of Samaria, the dogs licked up the 
blood of Ahab, as the man of God had said 
they would do, when the dogs were licking up 
the blood of Naboth, whom Jezebel had killed. 
And thus Ahab died, who was the worst king that had ever reigned over 
Israel. 

And Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, reigned in the stead of Ahab. And 
he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Ahab. 
And he worshiped the idol Baal, and greatly displeased the Lord. And 
Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in an upper chamber, and was made 
sick through his fall. And he sent messengers to Baalzebub, (the lord of 
flies), the idol of the Philistines, at Ekron, to know whether he should 




BURIAL OP AHAB. 



JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAB. 



339 



get well or not. And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, Go and meet 
the messengers of the king, and say to them, Is it not because there is not 
a God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? 
Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord. Thou shalt not get up from thy bed 
but shalt surely die. And the king asked them, what kind of a man was 
he who met you, and spoke to you these words? And they said, He was 
a hairy man, with a girdle of leather about him. And the king said, It is 
Elijah. 

Then the king sent a captain, with fifty men, to take Elijah prisoner. 
And the captain found Elijah on the top of a hill, and said to him, Thou 
man of God, the king hath said come down. And Elijah answered, If I 
be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and burn up thee 
and thy men. And the fire came down, and burned them up. 

Then the king sent another captain, with fifty men, to take Elijah. 
And the fire came down, and burned them up. 
And the king sent yet another captain, with 
fifty men, to take the prophet. And the cap- 
tain went up to Elijah, and fell on his knees 
before him, and said, O man of God, I pray 
thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty 
men, thy servants, be precious in thy sight. 

And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, 
Go down with him, be not afraid of him. And 
Elijah went down with him to the king. 

' And Elijah said to him, Because thou hast sent messengers to inquire 
of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, and didst not inquire of the God of 
Israel, therefore thou shalt not rise from thy bed, but shalt die. 

o Ahaziah died, as Elijah had said, and Jehoram reigned in his 
stead. 




THE FIRE CONSUMING THE FIFTY. 




34o 



ELIJAH IS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN. 



Elijah is Taken up ihto Heayeh. 




77 Kings ii. 896 B. C. 

ND it came to pass, when the Lord would 
take up Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind, 
that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 
And Elijah said to Elisha, Stay here, I 
pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to 
Bethel. But Elisha answered, As the 
Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will 
not leave thee. 

So they went down to Bethel. And 
the sons of the prophets that were at 
Bethel, came to Elisha, and said to him, 
Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thee to-day ? 
And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 

And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, stay here, I pray thee, for the Lord 
has sent me to Jericho. 

And Elisha said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not 
leave thee. 

And they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at 
Jericho came to Elisha, and said to him, Knowest thou that the Lord will 
take away thy master from thee to-day ? 

And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 
And Elijah said to Elisha, Stay here, I pray thee; for the Lord has 
sent me to Jordan. 

Elisha answered, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not 
leave thee. 

And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets 
went and stood a great way off, to looko And 
Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. And 
Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it to- 
gether, and smote the waters, and the waters 
divided before them, so that they two went 
over on dry ground. When they were gone 
over, Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do 
for thee, before I am taken away from thee. 

And Elisha answered, I pray thee, let a 
double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 

And Elijah said, Thou hast asked a hard thing; yet, if thou see me 
when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall 
not be so. 




ELIJAH ASCENDING. 



ELIJAH IS TAKEM UP INTO HEAVEN. 



341 



And as they went on and talked, lo, there appeared a chariot of fire, 
with horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Elijah was taken 
up into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and cried out, My father, my father, 
the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And Elisha saw him no 
more, and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, 
and stood by the bank of the Jordan. And he took the mantle of Elijah, 
and smote the waters with it, and said, Where is the God of Elijah? And 
the waters parted before him, and he went over. 

And when the sons of the prophets who had come to look, saw what 
Elisha did, they said to one another, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Eli- 




ALROLIN PAF.TIMG THE WATERS. 

sha. And thev came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground 
before him. And they said to him, Behold now, there be with thy ser- 
vants fifty strong men ; let them go, we pray thee, and seek for thy mas- 
ter; for perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up, and cast him 
upon some mountain, or into some valley. Elisha said, Ye shall not send. 
And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent 
therefore fifty men; and they sought for three days, but found him not. 
And when they came to Elisha again, (for he stayed at Jericho), he said 
to them, Did I not say unto you, go not? 

And the men of Jericho said unto Elisha, Look, we pray thee, the sit- 
uation of this city is pleasant, as our lord seeth, but the water is bad, and 



342 



ELIJAH IS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN. 



the ground barren. And Elisha said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt 
in it. And they brought it to him. And he went forth to the spring of 
the waters, and cast the salt in them ; and he said, Thus saith the Lord, I 
have healed these waters ; there shall not be from thence any more death 
or barren land. So the waters were healed from that day, according to 
the words of Elisha. 

And Elisha went from Jericho up to Bethel. And as he was going on 
his way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, 
saying, Go up, thou bald head ; go up, thou bald head. And he turned 
back and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the 
Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare 
forty-two children of them. 




THE BEARS AND THE MOCKING CHILDREN. 





\ 


!# 


fc 




1 %J 


a 


j^mj t . ,4 , : 








- 




- 

M 


^ ^^jP 


• 


- ' y^Zl^i 









ELIJAH ASCENDING TO HEAVEN. 



JEHORAM AND JEHOSHAPHAT DEFEAT THE MOABITES. 



345 



JEHORAM AHD JEHOSHAPHAT DEFEAT THE MOAB- 

ITES. 




II Kings iii. 895 B. C. 
ND Jehoram, the son of Ahab, reigned over Israel, and 
Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. And Mesha, king of 
Moab, rebelled against Jehoram. And Jehoram gath- 
ered his army together to go against the Moabites. 
And he sent to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, saying, 
The king of Moab hath rebelled against me; wilt thou 
go with me against him to battle? 

Jehoshaphat answered, I will go up. So the king of Israel, and the 
king of Judah went with their armies against the Moabites, and the king 
of Edom went with them. And they marched seven days, and there was 
no water for the host, nor for the cattle that were with them. And the 
king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these kings together, 
to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we 
may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants 
answered, Here is Elisha, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. And 
Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is 
with him. 

So the king of Israel, and the king of 
Judah, and the king of Edom, went down 
to Elisha. 

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, 
What have I to do with thee ? Get thee to 
the prophets of thy father, and to the proph- 
ets or tny motnei. the three kings and elisha. 

And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay; for the Lord hath called 
these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 

And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, 
surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of 
Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 

And Elisha said, Make this valley full of ditches, for thus saith the 
Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain ; yet that valley shall 
be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye and your cattle. And 
this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord; He will deliver the Mo- 
abites also into your hand. And ye shall destroy all their cities, and cut 
down every good tree, and stop all the wells of water, and mar every good 
piece of land with stones. 

And it came to pass in the morning, when the sacrifice was offered, 




mi 



■ 

Mm 



346 



BENHADAD BESIEGES SAMARIA. 



that there came water, by the way of Edom, and the country was rilled 
with it. 

And when the Moabites heard that the three kings were come up to 
fight against them, they gathered all their 
army together, and went out to meet them. 
And early in the morning, when the sun 
shone upon the water, the water appeared 
to the Moabites as red as blood. And they 
said, This is blood. The three kings are 
surely slain; for they have been fighting 
with one another. Now, therefore, Moab, 
go to the spoil. And when they came to the 
camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and 
smote them, so that they fled before them. And the Israelites followed 
after them, even to their own country. And they destroyed all their cities, 
and on every good piece of land they cast stones, and covered it. And 
they stopped up all the wells of water, and cut down all the trees. After 
that, the Israelites went back to their own land. 




THE MOABITES DEFEATED. 



ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE. 



347 



ELISHA AHD THE SHUKAMMITE. 




II Kings iv. 8Q5 B. C. 
OW there was a certain woman, the wife of 
one of the sons of the prophets, who cried to 
Elisha, saying, Thy servant, my husband, is 
dead, and thou knowest that he feared the 
Lord. And the creditor is come, to take my 
two sons to be his bondmen. 

And Elisha said to her, What shall I do 

for thee? tell me, what hast thou in thy house? 

She answered, Thy handmaid hath nothing in 

the house, except a pot of oil. And he said, 

Go, borrow vessels of all thy neighbors, even 

pot of oil. empty vessels ; borrow not a few. And when 

thou art come into the house, thou shalt shut the door upon, thee and thy 

sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and shalt set aside that 

which is full. 

So she went from him, and shut the door upon herself and her sons, 
who had brought the vessels to her. And she poured out the oil into 
them. And when the vessels were full, she said to her sons, Bring me 
yet a vessel. And they answered, There is not a vessel more. Then she 
came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy 
debt, and live, thou and thy children, on the rest. 

And it happened one day, that Elisha went to Shunem, where a great 
woman lived, and she begged him to come into her house and eat bread. 
And so it was, that as often as he passed by that way, he went in there to 
eat bread. And she said to her husband, Now I know that this is a holy 
man of God, who passes by us so often. Let us make for him a little 
chamber on the wall ; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, a 
stool, and a candlestick ; and when he cometh to us, he can go in there. 
And one day he came to the house, and went into the chamber, and lay 
there. 

And he said to Gehazi, his servant, Call this Shunammite woman. 
And when he had called her, she stood before him. And Elisha said to 
Gehazi, Say now to her, Lo, thou hast been careful for us with all this 
care; what shall be done for thee? wouldest thou be "spoken for to the 
king, or to the captain of the host? She answered, I dwell among my 
own people. 

And Elisha said to Gehazi, What then is to be done for her? He an- 
swered, Verily she hath no child. And Elisha said, Call her. And when 
he had called her, she came and stood in the door. And Elisha told her 



34§ ELISHA AND THE SH UNA M MITE. 

that God would give her a son. And the Lord gave her a son as Elisha 
had promis 

When the child was grown, he went out one day to his father, who 
was with the reapers. And he said to his father, My head! my head! 
And his father said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. And when the lad 
had taken him to her, the boy sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 
And she went up, and laid him on Elisha's bed, and shut the door and 
went out. And she called to her husband, and said, Send me, I prav thee, 
one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may hasten to the man 
of God, and come back again. 

And he cried, Why wilt thou go to him to-day ? It is neither new 
moon nor Sabbath. She answered, It will be well. 

Then she got upon the ass, and said to her servant. Drive, and go for- 
ward ; slack not thy riding for me, unless I bid thee. So she went, and 
came to Elisha, at Mount Carmel. And when Elisha saw her afar off, he 
said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite. Run now, 
I prav thee, to meet her, and say to her, Is it well with thee: Is it well 
with thy husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered. It is 
well. And when she came to the prophet, she caught him by the feet; 
but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said. Let 
her alone, for her soul is vexed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from 
me, and hath not told me. 

Then she said to Elisha, Did I ask of my lord that I might have a son? 
Did I not sav, Do not deceive me? Then Elisha said to Gehazi, Gird up 
thv loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go thy way. If thou meet 
any man, salute him not ; and if any man salute thee, answer him not 
again; go, and lay my staff upon the face of the child. But the mother of 
the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as 
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And 
he arose and followed her. And Gehazi 
went on before them, and laid his staff 
upon the face of the child, but the child 
neither spoke nor heard. Therefore Ge- 
hazi went back to meet the prophet, and 
said to him, The child is not awaked. 

And when Elisha was come into the 
house, the child was dead, and laid upon 
his bed. He went in therefore, and shut EUSHA PRATI ^ 

the door, and prayed unto the Lord. And he got up and lay upon the 
child, and put his mouth upon the child's mouth, and his eyes upon the 
child's eves, and his hands upon the child's hands; and he stretched him- 
self upon the child; and the flesh of the child became warm. Then Elisha 




ELISHA AND NAAMAN. 



349 



went out of the chamber, and walked to and fro in the house. And he 
went up and stretched himself upon the child again. And the child 
sneezed seven times, and opened his eves. And Elisha said to Gehazi, 
Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she came to E 
he said to her, Take up thy son. Then she fell at his feet, and bowed 
herself to the ground, and took up her son and went out. 

And Elisha came again to Gilgal, and there was a dearth in the land. 
And while the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, Elisha said 
to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the 
prophets. And one of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and 
found a wild vine, and gathered from it, his lap full of wild gourds, and 
came and put them into the pot. When it was ready, they poured it out 
for the men to eat. And as they were eating the pottage, they cried out, 
and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot! And thev could 
not eat of it. Elisha said. Bring meal. And when it was brought, he 
cast it into the pot, and said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. 
And there was no harm in the pot. 

And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of 
God. bread of the first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley and full ears of corn 
in the husk. And Elisha said, Give the people, that they may eat. 

But the servant said, What! shall I set this before a hundred men? 

Elisha said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith 
the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. 

S i the servant set the food before them ; and they did eat, and left 
some of the food, as the Lord had said. 



Elisha axd Naamak 



U Kings v, 8q5 B. C. 

OW Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, 
^ was a great man with his master, and honorable, be- 
cause the Lord had made him victorious over the ene- 
mies of Syria. He was, also, a mighty man of valor, 
but he was a leper. And the Syrians had brought away 
captive out of the land of Israel, a little maid; and she 
waited on Naaman's wife. And she said to her mistress. Would to God 
my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria, for he would cure him 
of his leprosv. And one went and told the king of Syria what the little 
maid had said. And the king of Syria said to Naaman, Go, and I will 
send a letter bv thee unto the kins: of Israel. And Naaman went, and 




35° 



ELISHA AND NAAMAN. 



took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and 
ten changes of raiment. 




NAAMA.N'8 WIFE AND THE LITTLE MAID. 



And he brought the letter to the king of Israel. In the letter, the 
king of Syria had written these words, Now when this letter is come unto 
thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman, my servant, to thee, that 
thou mayest heal him of his leprosy. And when the king of Israel had 
read the letter, he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and make 
alive, that this man doth ask me to heal a man of his leprosy ? See, now, 
I pray you, how he seeketh a quarrel against me. 

And it was so, when Elisha, the prophet, heard that the king of Israel 
had rent his clothes, he sent unto him, saying, Why hast thou rent thy 

clothes? Let the man come now to me, and 
he shall know that there is a prophet in Is- 
rael. So Naaman came with his horses, 
and with his chariot, and stood at the door 
of Elisha's house. And Elisha sent a mes- 
senger to him, saying, Go and wash in Jor- 
dan seven times, and thou shalt be clean. 
But Naaman was angry, and went away, 
and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely 
come out to me, and stand, and call on the 
name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and heal 




ELISHA AND NAAMAN. 



35 1 



the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than 
all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he 
turned and went away in a rage. 

And his ser- 
vants came near, 
and said, My 
father, if the 
prophet had bid 
thee do some 
great thing, 
wouldst thou not 
have done it? 
how much rather 
then, when he 
saith to thee, 
Wash and be 
clean ?ThenNaa- 
man went down 
and dipped him- 
self seven times 
in Jordan, and his 
flesh became like 
the flesh of a lit- 
tle child, and he 
was clean. 

And he went 
back to the 
prophet, he and 
all his company, 
and he said to 

Elisha, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in 
Israel, therefore, I pray thee, take a present from thy servant. 

But Elisha said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will re- 
ceive none. And Naaman urged him to take it, but he refused. And 
Naaman said, Shall there not then be given to thy servant two mules' bur- 
den of earth? For thy servant will no longer offer either burnt-offering, 
or sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord. And when my master 
goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my 
hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon 
thy servant in this thing. 

And Elisha said to him, Go in peace. And he departed. 

And when Naaman had gone a little way, Gehazi, the servant of Eli- 




NAAMAN COMING TO ELISHA. 



352 



ELISHA AND NAAMAN. 




NAAMAN WASHING IN THE RIVER JORDAN. 

sha, said to himself, My master hath taken nothing from this Syrian, but 
as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take something of him. So 
Gehazi followed after Naaman; and when Naaman saw him running 
after him, he got down from his chariot, and came to meet him, and said, 
Is all well? Gehazi answered, All is well. My master hath sent me to 
say, Behold, even now there are come to me from Mount Ephraim two 
young men of the sons of the Prophets. Give them, I pray thee, a talent 
of silver, and two changes of garments. 

And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. 

And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in a bag, and laid 
them upon two of his servants, and they car- 
ried them before Gehazi. And when they 
came to the house, Gehazi took the things 
from the men and put them away, and he let 
the men go, and they departed. And Gehazi 
went in and stood before his master. 

And Elisha said to him, Whence comest 
thou, Gehazi? He answered, Thy servant 
went no where. 

And Elisha said to him, Went not my 




BENHADAD TRIES TO TAKE ELISHA. 353 

heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet 
thee? Is it a time to receive money, and garments, and olive-yards, and 
vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and maid-servants? 
The leprosy, therefore, of Naaman shall be upon thee and thy children 
forever. 

And Gehazi went out from Elisha's presence a leper as white as snow. 



Behhadad Tries to Take Elisha. 




II Kings vi. 8Q3 B. C. 

v ND the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, 

the place where we live is too small for us. Let us go, 

we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a 

beam, and let us make a place there where we may dwell. 

And he answered, Go ye. 

And one of them said to Elisha, Be content, I pray 
thee, and go with thy servants. 

He answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they 
came to Jordan, they cut wood. But as one of them was felling a tree, 
the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried 
out and said, Alas, master, for it was borrowed. 
And the prophet said, Where did it fall? The 
man showed him the place. And Elisha cut 
down a stick, and cast it in thither, and the axe 
did swim. And Elisha said to the man, Take 
it up. And he put out his hand, and took it. 
Then the king of Syria made war against 
Israel; and he said to his servants, In such and 
such a place shall be my camp. And the man 
of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not 
such a place, for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of 
Israel sent to the place which the man of God had told him and warned 
him of, and he saved himself there more than once or twice. Therefore the 
heart of Benhadad, the king of Syria, was greatly troubled about this 
thing, and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show to 
me which of us is for the king of Israel ? 

And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king. But Elisha, the 
prophet, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed- 
chamber. 

And Benhadad said, Go and spy were he is, that I may send and fetch 
him. 




354 



BENHADAD TRIES TO TAKE ELISHA. 




BENHADAD GOING TO DOTHAN. 



And it was told Benhadad, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. There- 
fore he sent thither horses, and chariots, and 
a great host, and they came by night, and 
surrounded the city. And when the ser- 
vant of the man of God was risen early, and 
gone forth, behold, a host surrounded the 
city both with horses and chariots. And he 
said unto Elisha, Alas, my master, what 
shall we do? 

Elisha answered, Fear not, for they that 
be with us are more than they that be with 
them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, 
that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and 
he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, 
round about Elisha. And when Benhadad's men came to take him, Eli- 
sha prayed to the Lord, and said, Smite these people, I pray thee, with 
blindness. And the Lord smote them with blindness according to the 
word of Elisha. And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is 
this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. 
But he led them to Samaria. 

And when they were come into Samaria, Elisha prayed, and said, Lord 
open the eyes of these men that they may see. And the Lord opened 
their eyes, and they saw ; and behold, they were in the city of Samaria. 
And Jehoram, king of Israel, said to Elisha, My father, shall I smite 
them? 

Elisha answered, Thou shalt not smite them ; wouldst thou smite those 
whom thou hast taken captive? Set bread and water before them, that 
they may eat and drink, and go back to their master. 

And the king of Israel prepared food for them, and when they had 
eaten and drunk, he sent them away ; and they went back to their master. 



BENHADAD BESIEGES SAMARIA. 355 

Benhadad Besieges Samaria. 




II Kings vi-vii. 893-892 B. C. 

OW it came to pass after this, that Benhadad, king of 
Syria, gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged 
Samaria. And on account of the siege, there was a 
famine in the city, and the people of the city had no 
food to eat. And as the king of Israel was passing by 
upon the walls, there cried a woman unto him, saying, 
Help, my lord, O king. 

The king said to her, What aileth thee? She answered, This woman 
said to me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my 
son to-morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him. And I said unto 
her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him ; but she hath hid 
him. 

And when the king heard the words of the woman, he rent his clothes. 
And he said, God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha shall 
stand on him this day. But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders were 
w T ith him. And the king sent a messenger to kill Elisha, but before the 
messenger came, Elisha said to the elders, See ye how this son of a mur- 
derer hath sent to take away my head ? When the messenger cometh, 
shut the door, and let him not come in. 

Then the king himself came to Elisha, and Elisha told him that on the 
morrow there would be plenty of food in the city, and the famine would 
cease. Then a lord, on whose hand the king leaned, refused to believe 
the words of Elisha. And Elisha said to him, Behold thou shalt see it 
with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 

And there were four leprous men near the gate of the city, and they 
said to one another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say, we will 
enter the city, the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we 
sit still here, we shall die also. Now, therefore, come, and let us go to 
the host of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we shall live; and if they 
kill us, we shall but die. And they rose up in the twilight, to go to the 
camp of the Syrians. And when they came there, behold there was no 
man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a 
noise of chariots and of horses, even the noise of a great host; and they 
thought that a great army was coming against them. Therefore they had 
risen up in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and every- 
thing that was in their camp, and fled for their lives. 

And when the lepers had gone through all the camp, they went into a 
tent, and did eat and drink of the food which they found there. And they 
took away the gold, and silver, and raiment, out of the tent, and went and 



356 



ELISHA PROPHESIES THAT HAZAEL WILL BE KING OF SYRIA. 




THE PEOPLE TAKING PROM THE 
TENTH. 



fiid them. Then they came again, and went into another tent, and carried 
away the precious things that they found there, and hid them, also. Then 
they said to one another, We do not well. This is a day of good tidings,, 
and we hold our peace. If we stay until the 
morning, some mischief will come upon us. 
Now, therefore, come, that we may go and tell 
the king. So they came to the city, and called 
out to the porter of the gate, saying, We went 
to the camp of the Syrians, and behold, there 
was no man there, but horses and asses tied, 
and the tents, as they were left. And the por- 
ter sent word to the king. And the king arose 
in the night, and said to his servants, I will 
now show you what the Syrians have done. 
They know that we are hungry ; therefore they have gone out of the camp 
to hide themselves, saying, W^hen they come out of the city, we shall catch 
them alive, and get into the city. 

And one of his servants said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the 
horses that are left alive in the city, and let us send and see. They took, 
therefore, two chariot horses; and the king sent men after the army of the 
Syrians, to see where they were. And they went as far as the Jordan; 
and lo, all the road was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians 
had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the 
king. And the people went out and took what was in the tents of the 
Syrians, and they had plenty of food to eat, as the Lord had said. 

And the king appointed the lord, on whose arm he leaned, and who 
refused to believe the words of Elisha, to take charge of the gate. But 
the people trampled on him in the gate, so that he died. And so it hap- 
pened to him as Elisha had said; for he saw that the Lord had sent food 
to the people, but he himself did not eat of it. 



Elisha Prophesies that Hazael will be King- 

of Syria, 



HEN Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had 
restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy 
household, and stay for a while in some other country, 
for the Lord will send a famine, and it shall be upon 
the land of Israel seven years. And the woman did as 
Elisha told her, and she went with her family, and 
lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. And when the seven 




ELISHA PROPHESIES THAT HAZAEL WILL BE KING OF SYRIA. 357 




years were past, she came back from the land of the Philistines, and went 
to King Jehoram to beg that her house and 
land might be given back to her; for an- 
other person had taken them. 

And when she came to the king, he was 
talking with Gehazi, saying, Tell me, I pray 
thee, all the great things that Elisha hath 
done. And as he was telling the king how 
Elisha had restored a dead boy to life, be- 
hold, the woman and her son came in to ask 

the king to give her back her house and elisha telling of the famine. 
land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is 
her son whom Elisha brought back to life. And when the king asked 
the woman about it, she told him that it was so. And the king said 
to one of his officers, Give back to her all that was her's, and all the fruits 
of the field, since the day that she left the land, even until now. 

And Elisha came to Damascus. Now Benhadad, the king of Syria, 
who lived in that city, was sick, and it was told him that the prophet of 
God had come there. And King Benhadad said to Hazael, Take a pres- 
ent in thy hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by 
him, saying, Shall I recover this disease? So Hazael went to meet Elisha 
and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty 
camel loads, and came and stood before the prophet. And Hazael said, 
Thy son, Benhadad, king of Syria, hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I 
get well of this disease? 

Elisha answered, Go say unto him, Thou mayest certainly get well. 
Yet the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die. 

Then Elisha fixed his eyes steadfastly on Hazael, until Hazael was 

ashamed; and the prophet wept. 

And Hazael said, Why weepeth my 
lord ? 

Elisha answered, Because I know the 
evil that thou wilt do unto the children of 
Israel. Their strongholds wilt thou set on 
fire, and their young men wilt thou slay 
with the sword, and wilt put to death their 
women and children in a cruel manner. 



the young men slain. And Hazael said, But what! Is thy ser- 

vant a dog, that he should do this thing? 

Elisha answered, The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt be king 
over Syria. 

So Hazaei went away from Elisha, and went back to his master, who 




358 JEHU IS ANOINTED KING OF ISREAL. 

said to him, What said Elisha to thee? He answered, He told me that 
thou shouldst surely get well. But on the morrow, Hazael took a thick 
cloth and dipped it in water, and then went and spread it over the king's 
face, so that he could not breathe; and Benhadad died, and Hazael reigned 
in his stead. 



Jehu is Anointed Kihg of Israel. 




II Kings ix. 884 B. C. 
OT long after this Elisha called a young man, one of the 
prophets, and said to him, Gird up thy loins, and take 
this box of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead. And when 
thou comest there, look for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, 
and go in, and make him come out from among his 
brethren, and take him to an inner chamber. Then take 
the box of oil, and pour the oil on nis head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, 
I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and 
tarry not. 

So the young man went to Ramoth-gilead. And when he came there, 
he found the captains of the army sitting together, and Jehu was among 
them, and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. 
And Jehu said, For which one of us? 

The young man said, Lo thee, O captain. Then Jehu arose, and went 
into the house, and the young man poured the oil on his head, and said to 
him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee to be king 
over my people Israel; and thou shalt smite the family of Ahab, that I 
may avenge the blood of my servants, the prophets, at the hand of Jeze- 
bel. For I will cut off all that are left of the family of Ahab; and I will 
make his family like the family of Jeroboam, and like the family of 
Baasha. And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the city of Jezreel, and there 
shall be none to bury her. Then the young man opened the door and 
fled. 

And Jehu came out again to the servants of the king, and one of them 
said to him, Is all well? Why came this mad fellow to thee? 

Jehu answered, he said to me, The Lord hath anointed thee to be king 
over Israel. Then the captains made haste, and blew their trumpets, and 
shouted, Jehu is king! So Jehu was made king instead of Jehoram. 

Now Jehoram had come to Jezreel, to be healed of the wounds he had 
received while fighting against the Syrians ; and Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, 
was there also. And Jehu said to the captains, If it be your minds, let no 
one go out of the city to carry the news to Jezreel. And Jehu rode in a 
chariot, and went to Jezreel. And a watchman, standing on the tower in 



JE.A-U IS ANOINTED KING OF ISRAEL. 359 

Jezreel, saw Jehu and his company coming, and he told King Jehoram of 
it. And Jehoram said, Send a horseman to meet them, and let him say, Is 
it peace? 

So a man on horseback went out to meet Jehu, and said to him, Thus 
saith the king, Is it peace? 

Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? Turn thee behind 
me. 

Then the king sent a second messenger to Jehu to ask, Is it peace? 

Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? Turn thee behind 
me. 

When Jehoram saw that neither one of his messengers came back, he 
commanded his chariot to be made ready, and he himself rode out to meet 
Jehu. And when he came near, he said to Jehu, Is it peace, Jehu? 

Jehu answered, What, peace, so long as the sins of thy mother Jezebel 
are so many ? 

Then. Jehoram turned about and fled, for he saw that Jehu intended to 
kill him. But Jehu drew a bow with all his strength, and the arrow 
struck Jehoram between the shoulders, and went into his heart, and he 
fell dead in his chariot. Then Jehu commanded Bidkar, his captain, to 
take up the dead body of Jehoram, and cast it into the field which Ahab 
had taken from Naboth, the Jezreelite. For the Lord had said that the 
death of Naboth should be avenged on Ahab in that place. 

And when Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted 
her face, and put on her ornaments, and looked out of a window. And 
as Jehu came in at the gate of the city, she 
said to him, Had Zimri peace, who slew his 
master? And he raised his face toward the 
window, and said, Who is on my side? And 
two or three chamberlains looked out. And 
he said to them, Throw her down. So they 
threw her down, and some of her blood was 
sprinkled on the wall, and some on Jehu's 
horses; and the horses trampled her under 
their feet. And Jehu went into the house; 
and after he had eaten, he said to his servants, throwing jezebel out. 

Go, see now to this wicked woman, and bury her, for she is a king's 
daughter, And they went to bury her; but they found only her skull, 
and her feet and the palms of her hands. For the dogs had eaten her 
flesh, as the Lord had told Elijah the prophet, saying, In the city of Jez- 
reel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel. 




3<5° 



THE LAST DAYS OF ELISHA. 



The Last Days of Elisha. 




II Kings x-xiii. 884-842 B. C. 
iOW Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu 
wrote letters to all those men who had brought Ahab's 
children up, telling them to put to death all Ahab's 
sons and relations. And the men did as Jehu had com- 
manded them. And it came to pass, as the Lord had 
spoken by his servant Elijah. For Jehu slew all that 

were left of Ahab's family, so that not one 

of them was left alive. And when Jehu 

came back from Samaria, where he had 

been, he met Jehonadab, and said to him, Is 

thy heart right, as my heart is with thy 

heart? And Jehonadab said, It is. If it be, 

give me thy hand. And Jehu gave him his 

hand and took him up in his chariot. 

And Jehu brake down the image of the 

heathen god Baal, and with his people tore 

down the temple of Baal. Yet he did not serve the Lord with all his 

heart, but did evil like the kings who had reigned before him. And Jehu 

reigned twenty-eight years, and died; and they buried him in Samaria; 

and Jehoahaz, his son, reigned in his stead. 




JEHU AND JEHONADAB. 




THE PEOPLE DESTROYING THE HOUSE OF BAAL. 



THE LAST DAYS OF ELISHA. 



361 




JEHOASH AND ELISHA. 



And Jehoahaz did evil in the sight of the Lord, and worshiped the gold- 
en calves which Jeroboam had, set up. And 
he caused the people to sin, so that the an- 
ger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, 
and he delivered them into the hand of 
Hazael, king of Syria, who oppressed them 
and treated them very cruelly. And there 
were left to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, 
and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, 
for all the rest of the army of Israel the 
king of Syria had destroyed. And Jehoa- 
haz reigned seventeen years, and died, and Jehoash, his son, reigned in his 
stead. 

Now Elisha had fallen sick, and was about to die. And Jehoash, the 
king, came to him, 
and wept over him, 
and said, O my 
father, my father, 
the chariot of Is- 
rael, and the horse- 
men thereof. And 
Elisha said to him, 
Take a bow and 
arrows. And the 
king took them. 
Elisha said to the 
king, Put thy hand 
upon the bow. And 
he put his hand 
upon it; and Eli- 
sha put his hands 
upon the king's 
hands. And he 
said, open the win- 
dow eastward. And 
the king opened it. 
Then Elisha said, 
Shoot. . And he 
shot. And Elisha 




THE ARROW OP THE LORD S DELIVERANCE. 



said, The arrow of 

the Lord's deliverance from Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians. 



362 



THE LAST DAYS OF ELISHA. 



And Elisha spoke to the king again, and said, Take the arrows. And 
he took them. And Elisha said, Smite upon the ground. And the king 
smote thrice and stayed. And the man of God was angry with him, and 
said, Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times, then thou wouldst have 
smitten the Syrians until thou hadst destroyed them ; but now thou shalt 
smite them but thrice. 




THE DEAD MAN RAISED BY TOUCHING ELISHA S BONES 



And Elisha died, and they buried him. After that, the Moabites came 
in by bands, to invade the land. And, as some of the Israelites came out 
with a dead man, to bury him, they saw a band of the Moabites coming 
that way, and they cast the dead body into the sepulchre of Elisha. And 
when the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, the man came to life 
again, and stood upon his feet. 




From the Death of Jehoash to the Cap- 
tivity. Amos. 




II Kings xiii-xvii. B. C. 

OW Hazael, the king of Syria, had oppressed the people 
of Israel all the days of Jehoahaz, but the Lord was 
gracious to them, and had compassion on them. So 
Hazael died, and Benhadad, his son, reigned in his 
stead. After the death of Elisha, Jehoash, king of 
Israel, fought against Benhadad, king of Syria, and 
was victorious over him three times, as Elisha had said, and took back 
again the cities of Israel which the Syrians had taken. And Jehoash 
reigned sixteen years over Israel. And he died, and was buried in 
Samaria, and Jeroboam, his son, reigned in his stead. 

Jeroboam reigned forty-one years, and he made war against the Syri- 
ans, and took from them the cities of Hamath and Damascus. And the 
Lord helped him to gain the victory over the Syrians, for the Lord had 
seen the affliction of Israel that it was very bitter, and He said that He 
would not blot out the name of Israel from under heaven. Yet Jeroboam 
did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord ; and the people of Israel 
also did wickedly, for they still worshiped the golden calves. Then Amos 
the prophet was sent by the Lord to warn them of the punishment that 
would be sent upon them if they did not repent of their sins. 

And Amos came and spoke to them, saying, Hear this word that the 
Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel. You only have I 
known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all 
your iniquities. I have withholden the rain from you; I have smittenyou 
with blasting and mildew. When your gardens and your fig-trees and your 
olive-trees increased, the palmer-worm devoured them ; yet have ye not 
returned unto me, saith the Lord. Ye hate him that rebuketh in the gate, 
and ye abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Therefore as you have been 
robbing the poor, and taking bribes, although you have built houses of 
hewn stone, ye shall not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant 
vineyards, but you shall not drink wine of them. 

Yet Amos told them, that if they would turn from their evil ways, 

363 



3 6 4 



FROM THE DEATH OF JEHOASH TO THE CAPTIVITY. 




and love the good; if they would deal justly, and not oppress the poor, it 

might be that the Lord would be gracious unto 
them and forgive them. But, if they would 
not obey the Lord, therefore the Lord said 
thus, Wailing shall be in all the streets, and 
they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! 
And in all the vineyards shall be wailing, for I 
will pass through thee, and cause you to go 
into captivity. 

And Amos prophesied still further against 
them, saying, Woe to them that are at ease in 
Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria; that put far away the evil 
day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; that lie upon beds of 
ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of 
the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall. — That chant to the 
sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music; that 
drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but 
they are not grieved for their sins. Therefore now shall they go captive 
with the first that go captive. Behold I will raise up against you a nation, 

house of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts, and they shall afflict you. And 
the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel 
shall be laid waste, and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with 
the sword. 

Now Amaziah, the priest of the idol at Bethel, heard the words which 
Amos had spoken, and he sent to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, Amos 
hath conspired against thee; the land is not able to bear all his words. 
For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall 
surely be led away captive out of their own land. And Amaziah said to 
Amos also, O thou prophet, go, flee thee away 
into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and 
prophesy there; but prophesy not again any 
more at Bethel. 

Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, 

1 was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's 
son ; but I was a herdsman, and a gatherer of 
sycamore fruit. And the Lord took me as I 
followed the flock, and said unto me, Go, 
prophesy unto my people Israel. Now, there- 
fore, hear thou the word of the Lord, Thou 
sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against, the 
house of Israel. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Thy wife shall become 
a wicked woman in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by 




AMAZIAH. 



FROM THE DEATH OF JEHOASH TO THE CAPTIVITY. ->6~ 

the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line, and thou shalt die in a 
polluted land, and Israel shall surely go into captivity. 

But Jeroboam and the people despised the warnings of Amos, and 
kept on serving idols, and doing wickedly. The Lord sent Hoshea, also, to 
speak to them, but they would not listen to him any more than they did 
to Amos. And Jeroboam died, and Zachariah, his son, reigned in his 
stead. 

Zachariah reigned over the kingdom of Israel six months, and he did 
that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. And Shallum rebelled 
against him and slew him, and made himself king in the place of Zachar- 
iah. Shallum reigned one month only, for Menahem, the son of Gadi, 
came to Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. 

Menahem reigned ten years in Samaria; and he did evil in the sight 
of the Lord. And Pul, the king of Assyria, came against the land of Is- 
rael, and Menahem promised to give him a thousand talents of silver, if 
he would let him keep the kingdom. So Menahem made all the rich 
men of Israel pay, each fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of As- 
syria. So Pul took the money, and turned back, and stayed not there in 
the land. And Menahem died, and Pekahiah, his son, reigned in his 
stead. 

Pekahiah reigned two years, and he did wickedly, for he served the 
golden calves which Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, had set up. And 
Pekah, one of Pekahiah's captains, rebelled against him, and slew him 
in his palace at Samaria, and was made king in his stead. 

Pekah reigned over Israel twenty years, and he did evil in the sight of 
the Lord. He went up with the king of Syria to fight against Jerusalem, 
but they could not take the city. And Tiglath-piliser, king of Assyria, 
made war against Pekah, and carried away many of his people captive to 
Assyria. And Hoshea rebelled against him, and slew him, and reigned in 
his stead. 

Hoshea reigned over Israel nine years, and he did evil in the sight of 
the Lord, yet he was not so wicked as the kings of Israel that went before 
him. And Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, came up against him, and 
Hoshea promised to be his servant, and gave him presents. But after the 
king of Assyria had gone back to his own country, Hoshea rebelled 
against him, and sent messengers to the king of Egypt, asking him to help 
him against the king of Assyria. And Hoshea did not send any more 
tribute money to the king of Assyria, as he had done every year before. 
Then the king of Assyria came up again, and besieged the city of Samar- 
ia three years, and took it. And he bound Hoshea, and put him in prison, 
and carried away all the people of Israel to Assyria, and put them in cities 
in that land. 



3 66 



FROM THE DEATH OF JEHOASH TO THE CAPTIVITY. 



For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord 
their God, and had served other gods, and walked in the ways of the 
heathen whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel. And 
they did those things that were not right against the Lord their God. And 
they built them high places in all their cities, and they set up images and 
groves in every high hill, and under every green tree. And there they 
burned incense in all the high places, as did the heathen, whom the Lord 
carried away before them, and did wicked things to provoke the Lord to 
anger. 

Yet the Lord sent his prophets to reprove them for their wickedness 
and to warn them of the punishments that would be sent upon them if 
they did not repent of their sins. Notwithstanding, they would not hear, 
but rejected the word of the Lord, and the covenant that he had made 
with their fathers. Therefore the Lord was angry with the people of 
Israel, and removed them out of his sight, as He had said, by His servants, 
the prophets. And the king of Assyria came and carried them all away 
captives to Assyria, and they came back no more to their own land of 
Israel. And the king of Assyria had people brought out of his own coun- 
try and placed in the land of Israel. And they took the cities of the land 
for their own, and lived in them. And so the kingdom of Israel came to 
an end. 




THE REIGNS OF REHOBOAM AND ABIJAH OVER THE KINGDOM 367 

OF JUDAH. 



The Reigns of Rehoboam and Abijah oyer 
the Kingdom of Judah. 




I Kings xii-xv; II Chron. xi-xiii. 975-958 B. C. 

■ 
OW Rehoboam, Solomon's son, reigned over the tribes of 

Judah and Benjamin only. The other ten tribes had rebelled 
against him, and made Jeroboam their king. Rehoboam 
lived in Jerusalem where the Lord's temple was, which Sol- 
omon had built. Jeroboam was afraid lest the people of the 
ten tribes would go back to Rehoboam, if they went to Jeru- 
salem to worship. So he set up two golden calves in his kingdom, and 
persuaded his people to worship them. 

But the priests and the Levites, who were living among the ten tribes, 
at that time, left their cities and possessions, and came to Rehoboam at 
Jerusalem, for Jeroboam would not let them offer worship unto God. 
And many Other persons, who chose to worship the Lord, came with the 
priests and Levites to Rehoboam. So they strengthened the kingdom of 
Judah; and for three years, Rehoboam and his people walked in the way 
of David and Solomon. 

But when Rehoboam had become great, and had made his kingdom 
strong, he forsook the law of the Lord; and all the people followed him. 
And they did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went after other gods as 
their fathers had done. And they built high places on every high hill, 
and set up idols, and worshiped them. 

And, because Rehoboam and his people had sinned against the Lord, 
the Lord sent against them Shishak, king of Egypt, who came up with 
twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and a very great army. 
And he took many cities in the land of Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 
And Shemaiah, the prophet, came to Rehoboam, and the princes of Judah 
who were gathered together at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to 
them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I 
left you in the hand of Shishak. Then Rehoboam and the princes hum- 
bled themselves and said, The Lord is righteous. 

When the Lord saw that they repented, He sent Shemaiah to tell them 

2 3 



368 THE REIGNS OF REHOBOAM AND ABIJAH OVER THE KINGDOM 

OF JUDAH. 

that, because they had humbled themselves, they should not be destroyed. 
Yet, because of the wickedness they had done, the Lord said, Shishak 
should make them his servants. So Shishak, the king of Egypt, came up 
against Jerusalem, and carried away a great deal of the gold and silver 
out of the Lord's house and out of the king's palace. After that he went 
back to his own country. 

And Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and 
he reigned seventeen years. And he died, and was buried in Jerusalem, 
and Abijah, his son, reigned in his stead. 

After Abijah was made king of Judah, there was war between him 
and Jeroboam, king of Israel. Abijah gathered together an army of four 
hundred thousand men, and went out to fight against Jeroboam. Jero- 
boam came to meet him, with an army of eight hundred thousand men. 
And Abijah stood upon Mount Zemaraim, where Jeroboam and his men 
could hear him, and he said to them, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Is- 
rael, Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom 
of Israel to David forever, even to him and his sons? Yet Jeroboam, the 
son of Nebat, hath rebelled against his lord. And there are gathered unto 
him wicked men, and they think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord. 
And ye are a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves, 
which Jeroboam made you for gods. But as for us, the Lord is our God, 
and we have not forsaken Him ; and He Himself is with us, to be our 

captain. O children of Israel, fight ye not 
against the Lord God of your fathers, for ye 
shall not prosper. 

While Abijah was speaking, Jeroboam sent 
a body of men around, to fight the army of 
Judah in the rear, while he himself should 
fight them in front. And when the men of 
Judah looked, behold the battle was before and 
behind them. And they cried unto the Lord, 
and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 
the victory of abijah. Then the men of Judah gave a shout, and as 

they did so, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel, before Abijah and Judah. 
And the men of Israel fled before the men of Judah, and Abijah and 
his men followed after them, and slew five hundred thousand of them. 
And Abijah pursued Jeroboam into his own land, and took many cities 
from him ; neither, while Abijah lived, was Jeroboam able to make war 
upon him again. 

Abijah was king for three years; and he died, and was buried in Jeru- 
salem, and Asa, his son, reigned in his stead. 




THE REIGN OF ASA OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 



3 6 9 



The Reign of Asa oyer the Kingdom of Judah. 




77 Kings xv-xxii; II Chron. xiv-xvi. 95J-914 B. C. 

HEN Asa was made king, and he did that which was 
right in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave 
the people rest from war for many years. And Asa 
said unto his people, Let us build more cities, and 
make walls around them, with towers, and gates, 
and bars, while we are at peace. So they built the 
cities, and the kingdom prospered. 

And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men, out of the tribe 
of Judah, that bore shields and spears ; and out of the tribe of Benjamin, 
he had two hundred and eighty thousand that carried bows and arrows. 
And all the men of his army were very brave. 

And Zerah, king of Ethiopia, came up to make war against Asa, with 
an army much greater than his. And Asa went out to battle, and he 
cried unto the Lord, and said, Lord, it is nothing 
with Thee to help, whether with many, or with 
them that have no power ; help us, O Lord, our 
God, for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we 
go against this multitude. O Lord, Thou art 
our God ; let not man prevail against Thee. So 
the Lord helped Asa and his people to win a 
great victory over the Ethiopians, and the enemy 
fled before them. And Asa and his army pur- 
sued them, and slew many of them, and took KING a sa. 
from them very much spoil, and carried away sheep and camels in 
great numbers. After that they returned to Jerusalem. 

And the Lord sent Azariah, a prophet, to meet Asa and his men, and 
he said to them, Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord 

is with you, while ye are with Him ; but if 
you forsake Him, He will forsake you. Be 
ye strong, therefore, and let not your hands 
be weak, for your work shall be rewarded. 
When Asa heard these words, he took cour- 
age, and destroyed all the idols that had been 
set up in the land, and built up again the 
altar of the Lord that stood before the porch 
of the temple. 

And Asa gathered all the people to- 
gether at Jerusalem, and they offered up sacrifices out of the spoil they 





ASA DESTROYING THE IDOLS. 



37o TH E REIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

had taken from the Ethiopians, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand 
sheep. And the people made a covenant with the Lord, promising to 
serve Him with all their heart and with all their soul. 

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, Baasha, the king of Israel, 
came up to make war against him. Then Asa took silver and gold out of 
the Lord's house and out of his own palace, and sent it to Benhadad, king 
of Syria, saying, There is a league between me and thee; behold I have 
sent thee silver and gold. Go break thy league with Baasha, king of Is- 
rael, that he may go out of my kingdom. And Benhadad did as Asa 
asked him. He sent his army to invade the kingdom of Baasha, and took 
some of his cities. And when Baasha heard of it, he went back to his 
own land. 

Then Hanani, the prophet, came to Asa, and said to him, Because thou 
hast relied on the king of Syria, and didst not trust in the Lord, therefore 
is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand. Were not the 
Ethiopians a mighty host, with many chariots and horsemen? Yet, be- 
cause thou didst rely on the Lord, He delivered them into thy hand. 
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to 
show Himself strong, in behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward 
Him. Herein thou hast done foolishly. Therefore from henceforth thou 
shalt have wars. Then Asa was angry with the prophet, and put him in 
prison, for speaking to him in this manner. 

After this, in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa had a disease in 
his feet, which kept growing worse, until it made him very sick. Yet in 
his sickness, he did not seek the Lord to be healed, but called in the phy- 
sicians. And Asa reigned forty-one years, and died. And they buried 
him in his own sepulchre which he had made for himself in Jerusalem ; 
and Jehoshaphat, his son, reigned in his stead. 



The Reign of Jehoshaphat oyer the King- 
dom of Judah. 



77 Kings xxii; II Chron. xvi-xxi. 914-889 B. C. 

JEHOSHAPHAT sought the Lord, and walked in His command- 
ments. Therefore the Lord established him in his kingdom; and 
all the people brought him presents; and he had riches and honor 
in abundance. In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent out priests 
and Levites with the book, in which were written the laws of God, and 
they went through all the cities of Judah, and taught the laws to the peo- 
ple» And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms that were round 
about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 




THE REIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 371 

The Philistines brought him presents and tribute money; and the 
Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred sheep, and 
seven thousand seven hundred goats. And he became very rich and 
great, and in Judah he built castles and store cities. He had a great army, 
also, all brave men. 

And afterward, he went down to visit 
Ahab, king of Israel, at Samaria. And 
Ahab killed many sheep and oxen, and 
made a feast for Jehoshaphat, and the men 
who were with him, and persuaded them to 
go and help him fight against the king of 
Syria, at Ramoth-gilead. Now we have 
been told how Jehoshaphat put on his royal 
robes when he went into the fight, because 

THE LAWS BEAD TO THE PEOPLE. Ahab agked him tQ do ^ and how> dur j ng 

the battle, the Syrians, thinking he was Ahab, tried to kill him. But 
when Jehoshaphat cried out, the Lord helped him, and made the Syrians 
turn back from pursuing him. 

Soon after the battle, Jehoshaphat returned to Jerusalem. And as he 
was going on his way, Jehu, the prophet, went out to meet him, and spoke 
to him, saying, Shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate 
the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Yet 
there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the 
idols out of the land, and hast prepared thy heart to seek God. And 
Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem ; and he went out through all the land, and 
caused the people to worship the Lord God of their fathers, instead of 
idols. He set judges in all the cities of Judah; and he said to the judges, 
Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord. 
Wherefore, now, let the fear of the Lord be upon you ; take heed and do 
right, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of per- 
sons, nor taking of gifts. 

And the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edomites, come up to 
make war against Jehoshaphat. And when it was told him, he was 
afraid, and sent word throughout all the land, commanding the people to 
fast. 

And the people of Judah came out of all their cities up to Jerusalem, 
to ask help of the Lord. And Jehoshaphat stood up in the midst of the 
people, and said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven, 
and rulest thou not over all the kingdoms of the heathen? In thy hand 
is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art 
not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before 
thy people Israel, and gavest it to the children of Abraham, thy friend. 



37 2 THE REIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

for ever? And now, behold the children of Ammon and of Moab, and 
of Mount Seir have come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast 
given us to inherit. O our God, wait thou not judge them? For we have 
no might against this great company that cometh against us ; neither know 
we what to do; but our eyes are upon thee. And while Jehoshaphat 
prayed, all the people stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their 
wives and their children. 

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, a Levite of the sons 
of Asaph, and he stood in the midst of the people and said, Hearken ye, all 
Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be 
not afraid of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 
To-morrow go ye down against them, and ye shall find them by the brook, 
in the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; stand 
ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusa- 
lem. Fear not, nor be dismayed, for the Lord will be with you. 

Then Jehoshaphat bowed himself with his face to the ground, and all 
the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and wor- 
shiped Him. And they rose early in the morning, and went out into the 
wilderness to meet their enemies. 

As they were going, Jehoshaphat said to the men of his army, Hear 
me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem ; Believe in the Lord your 
God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper. 
And Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army, to sing praises 
unto the Lord; and as they went they sang, Praise the Lord, for His 
mercy endureth forever. As soon as the singers began to praise Him, the 
Lord sent confusion upon the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Edom- 
ites, and caused them to fight among themselves, and to slay one another. 

And when the men of Judah came near, they looked for their enemies, 
and behold, their dead bodies covered the ground, and none escaped. And 
when Jehoshaphat and his men went among the slain, they found more 
riches and precious jewels than they could carry away. They were three 
days in gathering the spoil, it was so great. And on the fourth day they 
came together in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord. 
Therefore, from that day, the name of the valley was called Berachah, 
which means, the valley of Blessing. And the army, with Jehoshaphat 
at their head, returned to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps, and trump- 
ets, unto the house of the Lord. 

And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms round about Judah, 
when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. So 
the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for God gave him and his people 
rest from war. But after this, Jehoshaphat joined himself with Ahaziah, 
king of Israel, who did very wickedly; and they made ships to go to the 
land of Ophir for gold. 



THE REIGNS OF JEHORAM, AHAZIAH AND ATHALIAH OVER THE 373 
KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

Then Eliezer, a prophet, came and spoke to Jehoshaphat, saying, Be- 
cause thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy 
ships. And the ships did not go to Ophir, for they were broken at Ezion- 
geber. Jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years; and he died and was bur- 
ied in Jerusalem, and Jehoram, his son, reigned in his stead. 



The Reigns of Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Athal- 
iah oyer the kingdom of judah. 




II Kings ix-xi; II Chron. xxi-xxiii. 896-878 B. C. 

OW Jehoram had six brothers, to whom their father, 
Jehoshaphat, had given presents of silver and gold, and 
of other precious things. He gave them some of the 
cities of Judah also; but the kingdom he gave to 
Jehoram, because he was the first-born. 

Now when Jehoram became king, he wanted to 
make himself sure of the kingdom ; so he slew all his brethren with the 
sword, and also put to death some of the princes of the land. 

And Jehoram walked in the way of Ahab, king of Israel, for he had 
taken the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he did that which was evil in 
the sight of the Lord. 

The Edomites, who had been the servants of the kings of Judah for a 
long time, now rebelled against Jehoram, and made themselves a king. 
Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots, and fought 
against the Edomites in the night, but he could not make them his servants 
again, because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers. And he 
built high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the people of the 
land to commit idolatry. 

And there came a letter to him from Elijah, the prophet, saying, Thus 
saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in 
the ways of Jehoshaphat, thy father, nor in the ways of Asa, king of 
Judah; but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made 
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to sin, as the house of Ahab has 
done; and hast also slain thy brethren of thy father's house, who were 
better than thyself; behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy 
people, and thy children, and thy wives, and thy goods, and a great sick- 
ness shall come upon thee. 

And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram, the Philistines and the Ara- 
bians, and they came up into the land of Judah. They went to Jerusalem, 
and took away all the riches that were in Jehoram's house, and carried 
away his wives, and his sons also, so that there was not a son left him, 



374 THE REIGNS OF JEHORAM, AHAZIAH AND ATHALIAH OVER THE 

KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

save Ahaziah, the youngest. After that, the Lord sent a terrible disease 
upon Jehoram, which could not be cured. And at the end of two . years 
he died, after having reigned eight years. And they buried him in Jeru- 
salem, but not in the sepulchres of the kings of Judah. 

And the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram's youngest son, 
king, in the place of his father. He reigned only one year, and did evil in 
the sight of the Lord; for his mother, who was the daughter of Ahab, 
taught him to do wickedly. He went down to see Jehoram, king of Is- 
rael, who was lying at Jezreel, because he was sick. We have been told 
that after Jehu had been anointed king of Israel, he got into his chariot, 
and went to Jezreel, and that Jehoram rode in his chariot and went out to 
meet him. And when they drew near to each other, Jehu drew his bow 
and shot an arrow at Jehoram that pierced his heart. Now when Jehoram 
went to meet Jehu, Ahaziah got into his own chariot and went with him. 
And when Ahaziah saw that Jehu had killed Jehoram, he turned his 
horses to flee. But Jehu followed him, saying to his servants, Slay him 
also in the chariot; and they did so. And the servants of Ahaziah 
brought his dead body in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him there, in 
the sepulchre of his fathers. 

When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that he was dead, she 
put his children to death, so that she herself might be queen. But Jehosh- 
eba, the sister of Ahaziah, stole away one of his sons, named Joash ; and 
she and the boy remained hidden in the temple for six years under the 
care of Jehoiada, the high priest ; and Athaliah reigned over the land. 
After the six years were past, Jehoiada sent for some of the captains of 
Israel, and for the priests and Levites, and they came to him at Jerusalem. 
And he secretly showed Joash to them, and said, Behold the king's son 
shall reign, as the Lord hath said of the sons of David. And they all 
made a covenant together to make Joash king. 



THE REIGN OF JOASH AND AMAZIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 377 



The Reign of Joash and Amaziah oyer the 
Kingdom of Judah. 




II Kifigs xi-xiv; II Chron. xxiv-xxvi. 878-826 B. C. 

HEN this took place, Jehoiada took the 
spears and shields which King David had 
put in the temple, and gave them to the cap- 
tains and to the Levites. On the day ap- 
pointed, the captains and the Levites came 
to the temple, and the high priest set them 
as guards all around it, so that no one might 
go in. And the}' brought out Joash, and 
anointed him ; and they put the crown upon 
his head, and made him king. Then they 
clapped their hands, and cried, God save 

the king! 

When Queen Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and 
praising the king, she came and looked into the temple. And when she 
looked, she saw the king standing by the pillar, with a crown upon his 
head. And the princes of the land stood beside him, and all the people 
rejoiced, and blew upon trumpets. And the singers played upon instru- 
ments of music, and sang praises. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and 
cried, Treason! Treason! But Jehoiada, the 
high priest, said to the captains, Take her 
away from the temple; let her not be slain 
in the house of the Lord. So they laid 
hands on her, and brought her out near to 
the king's house, and there she was slain. 

And Jehoiada made a covenant with the 
king, and with all the people, that they 
should be the Lord's people. Then the peo- 
ple went to the house of Baal, and threw it 
down, ana broke the altars and the images in pieces, and slew Mattan, the 
priest of Baal, before the altars. Jehoiada, also, sent the priests and the 
Levites to the temple, to offer up the sacrifices, and to attend to the wor- 
ship there. And he set porters at the gates of the Lord's house, so that 
no one who was unclean in any thing, might enter in. And they brought 
Joash out of the temple, and set him upon the throne of the kings of Ju- 
dah; and he was seven years old when he began to reign. 

And after this, Joash wanted to repair the house of the Lord, for the 
sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the temple, and had 
carried away all the sacred vessels, and used them for the worship of Baal. 




ATHALIAH SLAIN. 



37&THE REIGN OF JOASH AND AMAZIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

And Joash gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, 
Go out into all the cities of Judah, and gather money from all the people, 
to repair the house of the Lord from year to year, and see that ye hasten 
the matter. But the Levites hastened it not. Then Joash called for 
Jehoiada, the high priest, and said to him, Why hast thou not required of 
the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, the collection, 
according to the commandment of Moses? 

Then Jehoiada took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it 
near the altar, before the door of the temple. And they proclaimed 
throughout all the land, that every man should bring his tax of a half 
shekel, as an offering to the Lord, as Moses commanded. And all the 
princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in the money, and cast it 
into the chest. And when there was much money in the chest, the king's 
scribe, and the high priest came and took the money out, and counted it. 
Then they put it into bags and gave it to the men who were set to over- 
see the work, and they paid of it so much as was needed, to the carpen- 
ters, the builders, and the masons, who were at work mending the house. 
After the house was finished, the overseers brought all the money that 
was left and gave it to the king and Jehoiada. And they had vessels and 
spoons of gold and silver made of it, to use in the house of the Lord. 
And they offered burnt-offerings in the house of the Lord every day while 
Jehoiada lived. 

But Jehoiada grew old, and at the age of one hundred and thirty years 
he died. And they buried him in Jerusalem, in the sepulchre of the kings, 
because he had done good among the people, and served the Lord. 

After the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came to the king, 
and bowed before him, and told him that they did not want to worship at 
the temple any longer. And the king gave them permission to do as they 
wanted. So they left the house of God and His worship there, and went 
and served idols. 

And the Spirit of God came upon Zachariah the priest, the son of 
Jehoiada, and he said unto the princes and the people, Thus saith God, 
Why do you not obey the commandments of the Lord, so that ye can 
prosper? Because ye have forsaken the Lord, He will forsake you. Then 
the people rose up at the command of the king, and stoned Zachariah with 
stones in the court of the temple. Thus Joash, the king, remembered not 
the kindness which Jehoiada had shown him, but slew his son. And when 
Zachariah was dying, he said, The Lord look upon what has been done 
to me and judge you for it. 

And at the end of the year, a body of Syrians came up against Judah, 
and slew the princes, and took away their treasures, and sent them to the 
king of Syria at Damascus. The Syrians came up with only a small 



THE REIGN OF JOASH AND AMAZIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 379 

company of men, yet the Lord delivered a great multitude of the men of 
Judah into their hand, because the men of Judah had forsaken Him. So 
the Lord punished Joash. 

Now Joash was suffering from a great sickness, and, after the Syrians 
had gone away, his servants rose up against him and slew him in his bed. 
And they buried him in Jerusalem, but not in the sepulchre of the kings. 
He had been king for forty years; and after he was dead, Amaziah, his 
son, reigned in his stead. 

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he was made king, and he 
reigned twenty-nine years. And he did that which was right in the sight 
of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. He put to death those men 
who had slain King Joash, his father, but he did not kill their children, 
for the law of Moses forbade him to do so. And Amaziah gathered to- 
gether a great army out of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, three hun- 
dred thousand men who could handle spear and shield, to go out to fight 
against the Edomites. And he hired also a hundred thousand men of the 
brave men of Israel, for a hundred talents of silver, to come and help him. 
But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of 
Israel go with thee, for the Lord is not with them. But if thou wilt let 
them go, God shall make thee fall before the enemy, for God hath power 
to help, and to cast down. And Amaziah said to the man of God, But 
what shall I do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of 
Israel? The man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much 
more than this. Then Amaziah sent the men of Israel away, and they 
returned to their homes in great anger. And Amaziah went against the 
Edomites, and smote them with great slaughter. 

When he returned from the battle, he brought away the gods of the 
Edomites, and set them up to be his gods. Therefore the Lord was angry 
with Amaziah, and sent a prophet to say to him, Why hast thou sought 
after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out 
of thy hand? But Amaziah was angry, and said to the prophet, Art thou 
made the king's counsel? Forbear; why shouldst thou be smitten? Then 
the prophet forbore, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy 
thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel. 

Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel, saying, Come, 
let us look one another in the face. He meant by this, that they should 
come out with their armies to fight with each other. And the king of 
Israel answered him, and said, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and 
thy heart lifteth thee up to boast. Abide now at home ; why shouldst 
thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldst fall even thou, and Judah with 
thee? But Amaziah would not hear to him; for it came of God, that He 
might deliver them into the hands of their enemies, because they wor- 
shiped the gods of Edom. 



380 THE REIGN OF UZZIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

So the king came up with his army, and Amaziah went out with his 
army to meet him. And the men of Judah were put to the worse before 
the men of Israel, and they fled. And the king of Israel took Amaziah 
captive, and brought him back' to Jerusalem, and broke down a part of the 
wall of the city. And he took the gold and silver, and the vessels that 
were in the house of God, and the treasures of the king's house, and host- 
ages also, and returned to Samaria. After this the people of Jerusalem 
rebelled against Amaziah, and he fled to Lachish; but they followed him 
there, and slew him. And they brought his dead body upon horses to 
Jerusalem, and buried him there. 



The Reign of Uzziah Oyer the Kingdom of 

Judah. 




77 Chron. xxvi. 8 10- J 65 B. C. 

ND Uzziah, when he was sixteen years old, was made king 
of Judah, in the place of his father Amaziah. And he 
reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. At first he did 
what was right in the sight of the Lord, because he fol- 
lowed the counsel of a good man, named Zechariah; and 
as long as he obeyed the Lord he prospered. And God 
helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians. And the 
Ammonites gave him gifts. He built towers by the gates of Jerusalem, 
and made them strong. He also built towers in the desert for the men 
that took care of his cattle, of which he had a great many, and he had 
wells dug in the places where they fed. And he had husbandmen and 
vinedressers in the mountains, and in Carmel, for he loved to till the 
ground. 

He had also an army of three hundred and seven thousand, five hundred 
brave men. And he had made for them shields and spears, helmets and 
bows, and slings to hurl stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines, in- 
vented by skillful men, to shoot arrows and stones; and he set them in the 
towers and on the walls. And his name spread far abroad, for God helped 
him, until he became very great and strong. 

But when he was strong he became proud, and disobeyed the com- 
mandment of the Lord; for he went into the temple of the Lord to burn 
incense on the golden altar. Then Azariah, the high priest, and eighty 
other priests with him, who were not afraid to oppose the king in his 
wickedness, went in after him, and said to him, It belongeth not to thee, 
Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of 
Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for 



THE REIGN OF JOTHAM OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 
THE PROPHET. 



ISAIAH 



38l 



thou hast sinned, neither shall it be for thy honor from the Lord God. 
Then Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand 
to burn incense, was very angry at the 
priests, and while he was angry, the leprosy 
came upon his forehead, as he stood before 
the priests beside the altar of incense. And 
when they saw that he was leprous, they 
thrust him out of the Temple; yea, he him- 
self made haste to go out because the Lord 
had punished him. And Uzziah, the king, 
was a leper unto the day of his death, and 
lived in a house by himself, because he could not be with other people on 
account of his leprosy. And Jotham, his son, ruled over the people for 
him. And Uzziah died, and was buried in Jerusalem; and Jotham, his 
son, reigned in his stead. 




UZZIAH, A LEPER. 



The Reign: of Jotham Oyer the Kingdom of 
Judah. Isaiah the Prophet. 




II Chron. xxvii. 765-742 B. C. 

HEN Jotham, when he was twenty-five years old began 
to reign ; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 
And he did that which was right in the sight of the 
Lord ; yet the people did wickedly. And Jotham built 
cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he 
built castles and towers. He made war also against 
the Ammonites, and overcame them, and they gave him as tribute each 
yeiM-, a hundred talents of silver, ten thousand 
measures of wheat, and ten thousand measures 
of barley. So Jotham became very great, be- 
cause he served the Lord his God. 

But the people of Judah did evil in the 
sight of the Lord, and He sent Isaiah, the 
prophet, to reprove them for their wickedness. 
Isaiah came and said to them, That the Lord 
had brought them up as His children, but they 
had rebelled against Him. The ox knew his isaiah. 

owner, and the ass his master's crib; but the people of Judah did not think 
of Him, who had been so kind to them. They had forsaken the Lord, 
and provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, for they had filled the land 




382 THE REIGN OF AHAZ OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

with idols, the work of their own hands. And Isaiah spoke to them, say- 
ing, Hear the word of the Lord. To what purpose is the multitude of 
your sacrifices unto Me ? saith the Lord ; I am full of the burnt offerings 
of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight not in the blood of bul- 
locks, or of lambs, or of goats. When ye spread forth your hands I will 
hide mine eyes from you ; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not 
hear. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from 
before mine eyes. Cease to do evil; learn to do well. If ye be willing 
and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. 

But the people would not listen to Isaiah, for their priests and their 
chief men persuaded them to keep on sinning. Then Isaiah said, That 
because they would not turn away from their sins, the Lord would punish 
them. For He would bring fierce enemies against them, out of far off 
countries, and no man should deliver the people out of their hands. These 
enemies would slay many of the people of Judah, and would carry away 
many more into captivity. And the land of Judah should be left desolate; 
the cities should be without inhabitants, and thorns and briars should grow 
up in the streets; the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the tem- 
ple thrown down. Yet the Lord had promised, Isaiah said, to bring back 
the people of Judah to their own land again, and to raise up a great king 
named Cyrus, who would be kind to them, and let them build up the city 
of Jerusalem and the temple again. 

And Jotham died, and was buried in Jerusalem ; and Ahaz, his son, 
reigned in his stead. 



The Reigk of Ahaz Oyer the Kihgdom of 

Judah. 



II Kings xvi; II Chron. xxviii. 741-726 B. C, 

HAZ was twenty years old when he began to reign, and 
he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. But he did not 
do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but 
set up idols and worshiped them. And he offered up 
sacrifices to them in the valley of Hinnom, and made 
his children pass through the fire, after the manner of 
the heathen nations. Therefore the Lord delivered him into the hands of 
the Syrians, and they overcame him, and carried away a great multitude 
of his people captives, and brought them to Damascus. And the Lord 
also sent Pekah, the king of Israel, against Ahaz; and he slew a hundred 
thousand of the men of Judah in one day, and carried away captive two 
hundred thousand women and children, and brought them to the city of 




THE REIGN OF HEZEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 383 

Samaria where he lived. The Edomites and the Philistines also came up 
against Judah, and the whole land was in great distress because of the 
transgression of Ahaz. 

Then Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, saying, 
Come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of 
the land of the king of Israel. And Ahaz took some of the silver and 
gold out of the Lord's house, and some of the treasures out of his house, 
and sent them as a present to the king of Assyria. And Tiglath-pileser 
took the present, and did as Ahaz asked him. He went and fought 
against the Syrians, and took the city of Damascus from them. But it 
did not help Ahaz any, for the Lord was not with him. 

And Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser, and saw there 
an idol's altar. And he sent the pattern of it to Urijah, the high priest, at 
Jerusalem, commanding him to make one like it. And Urijah made the 
altar as Ahaz told him, and set it in the court of the temple. 

When Ahaz came back from Damascus, he went to the altar and of- 
fered up sacrifices upon it. He also took away the Lord's altar from its 
place in the court, to make room for the altar that he had made. He took 
to pieces the lavers which stood in the court to hold water, and took down 
the brazen sea from the backs of the brazen oxen on which it rested, and 
set it on the pavement of the court. He also took away out of the temple 
the vessels of gold and silver, and cut them in pieces. After that he shut 
up the doors of the house of the Lord, so that the people might not go 
there to worship any more. And he set up altars for idols in every corner 
of Jerusalem. And in every city of Judah he made high places on which 
to offer sacrifices to his gods; and he provoked the Lord God of his 
fathers to anger. And Ahaz died, and was buried in Jerusalem, but not 
in the sepulchre of the kings. And Hezekiah, his son, reigned in his 
stead. 

The Reigh of Hezekiah Oyer the kihgdom 

of Judah, 

// Kings xviii-xxi; II Chron. xxix-xxxiii. 726-6Q8 B. C. 

EZEKIAH began to reign when he was twenty-five 
years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusa- 
lem. And he did that which was right in the sight of 
the Lord. In the beginning of his reign, he opened 
the doors of the Lord's house, and repaired them. Then 
he gathered together all the priests and the Levites, and 
said to them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify 
the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness 
out of the holy place. 




384 THE REIGN OF HEZEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM CF JUDAH. 

For our fathers have sinned, and have forsaken the Lord our God, and 
have turned away their faces from the house of the Lord. Also they have 
shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not 
burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of 
Israel. Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem, 
and he hath delivered them to trouble as ye see with your eyes. For, lo, 
our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons, and our daughters, and 
our wives are in captivity for this. Now it is in my heart to make a cov- 
enant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away 
from us. My sons, be not now negligent, for the Lord hath chosen you 
to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister unto 
Him, and burn incense. 

Then the priests and Levites came together, as the king had com- 
manded, to cleanse the house of the Lord. 

And the priests went into the inner part of the house, and brought out 
into the court all the uncleanness that they found there, and the Levites 
carried it away to the brook Kedron. Now they began to cleanse the 
house on the first day of the month, and on the sixteenth day of the month 
they had finished the work. Then they went to Hezekiah, and said, We 
have cleansed all the house of the Lord, and the altar of burnt-offering, 
with all the vessels thereof, and the shew bread table, with all the vessels 
thereof. Moreover, all the vessels, which King Ahaz in his reign did cast 
away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and behold, 
they are before the altar of the Lord. 

Then Hezekiah, the king, rose early in the morning, and gathered to- 
gether the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord. And 
they brought seven bullocks and seven rams, seven lambs and seven goats 
for a sin-offering. And Hezekiah commanded the priests to offer them 
up on the altar of the Lord. And the king set Levites in the house of the 
Lord with instruments of music in their hands, and priests with trumpets. 
And when the offerings began to burn upon the altar, the Levites began 
to sing songs of praise, while they played upon cymbals and harps, and 
the priests blew on the trumpets. And the king and all the people wor- 
shiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpets sounded, until the burnt- 
offering was finished. 

And when they had made an end of offering up the sacrifices, Heze- 
kiah said to the people, Now that ye have consecrated yourselves to the 
Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank-offerings unto the house of 
the Lord. And the people did as the king told them ; they brought sev- 
enty bullocks, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. And the priests 
offered these up also, before the Lord. And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all 
the people with him, because the Lord had made them willing to bring 



THE REIGN OF HEZEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 



385 



their offerings to Him, and worship Him at the temple once more. 
And Hezekiah wrote letters to all the people of Israel and of Judah, 
asking them to come up to Jerusalem and keep the passover to the Lord 
God of Israel ; for it had been a long time since that feast had been kept 
by the people in the proper way. And the king sent messengers with the 
letters to all the princes of Israel and Judah, saying, Ye children of Israel, 
turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, and He 
will be kind to the remnant of you that are escaped out of the hand of the 
kings of Assyria. For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and 
your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so 
that they shall come again into this land. For the Lord your God is gra- 
cious and merciful, and will not turn away His face from you if ye return 
to Him. 

So the messengers with the king's letters went from city to city 
throughout the whole land. But the people of the ten tribes laughed 
them to scorn, and mocked them. Yet many of the people of Asher,, 
and Manasseh, and Zebulun, humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. 
But in the land of Judah, God gave the people one heart, to do the com- 
mandment of the king and of the princes. 

So there came to Jerusalem a very great multitude of people, to keep 
the passover. But first, they took away out of the city all the altars on 
which sacrifices had been offered to idols, and cast them into the brook 
Kidron. After that, they made ready to eat the passover. And they kept 
the feast of unleaved bread seven days, with gladness. The priest and the 
Levites sang praises to the Lord every day, playing on harps and trump- 
ets. And Hezekiah spoke kindly to the Lev- 
ites, because they went among the people and 
taught them the good knowledge of the Lord. 
And the people feasted on the flesh of the 
peace-offerings throughout the seven days, 
making confession to the Lord. 

After the seven days were ended, they all 
agreed to keep the feast seven days longer. 
And Hezekiah gave the people a thousand 
bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and the 
princes gave them a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep. And all 
the people of Judah, with the priests and Levites, and all the people of 
Israel who had come to keep the feast with them, rejoiced. So there was 
great joy in Jerusalem ; for since the days of Solomon, there had been no 
such feast like that kept in that city. 

Then the priests and Levites arose and blessed the people, and their 
voice was heard, and their prayer came up to God's holy dwelling place, 




KING HEZEKIAH. 



86 THE REIGN OF HEZEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 




even unto heaven. When the feast was over, all the people that were 
there, went out into the different cities of Judah, and broke all the idols in 

pieces. They also cut down the idol groves, 
and threw down the high places. They did 
this not in the land of Judah only, but also 
in the land of Israel. After this, they all re- 
turned, every man to his own home. 

And Hezekiah broke in pieces the ser- 
pent of brass which Moses had made, for the 
people began to worship it. And Hezekiah 
appointed the different courses of the priests 

HEZEKIU^BR^O^ PIECES THE ^ Lev i te s, to take their tons in attending 

to the worship of the Lord at the temple. And he gave them animals for 
the morning and evening sacrifices, for the Sabbaths, and for the feast 
days. He also asked the people to bring the tenth part of all that grew 
in their fields, to the priests and Levites, for food, as Moses had commanded. 

As soon as the king's command was made known, the people of Ju- 
dah, and many of the people of Israel, also, brought in the first-fruits of 
their fields. In the third month they began to bring them. And they 
kept on bringing them until the seventh month, and they laid them in 
heaps. And when Hezekiah and the princes came to the temple and saw 
the heaps of food, they blessed the Lord and the people. 

Then Hezekiah asked the priests and the Levites about the heaps. And 
Azariah, the high priest, answered him, saying, Since the people began to 
bring the offerings to the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, 
and have plenty left. For the Lord hath blessed His people, and that 
which is left, is this great store. 

Then Hezekiah commanded that some chambers, or store houses, should 
be prepared. And they prepared them, and placed the food in them. 
And the king appointed some of the Levites to take care of the food, and 
to give to all the priests and Levites what they might need for themselves 
and their families to eat. Not only to those who were serving at the tem- 
ple, but to those also who were at home, or were employed as teachers 
and magistrates in different parts of the land, was food given. 




HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB. 



387 



HEZEKIAH AHD SEHHACHERIB. 



II Kings xviii-xix; II Chron. 



Isaiah x 



726-710 B. C. 





HEX after these things, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, 
came to Judah with a great army, and took some of 
the strong cities in the land. And when Hezekiah 
heard of it, he built up all that part of the wall of Jeru- 
salem that had been broken down, and made darts and 
shields in abundance. And he gathered the men of 
Judah together, and set captains over them, and spoke to them, saying, Be 
strong and courageous; be not afraid nor dis- 
mayed at the king of Assyria, nor at all the 
multitude that is with him. With him is an 
arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God 
to help us, and to fight our battles. But after 
all this, Hezekiah feared the king of Syria, and 
he took a great deal of the gold and silver out 
of the temple, and out of his own palace, and 
sent it to the king of Assyria, that he might 
not fight any more against Judah. senn-acherib. 

Then the king of Assyria took the gold and silver and went back to 
his own land. But soon after, he came again to make war upon Judah; 
and he laid siege to the city of Sachish. 

While he was besieging that city, he sent his servants to tell the peo- 
ple of Jerusalem that he was coming there also. And his servants came 
to Jerusalem, and said to the people, Thus saith the king of Assyria, Let 
not Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you out of 
my hand; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his 
people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers; how much less 
shall your God deliver you out of my hand. Hearken not to Hezekiah, 
but make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and 
then eat ye every man of his own vine, and of his own fig-tree, and drink 
ye every one the waters of his cistern, until I come to take you away to a 
land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 

Then the servants of the king of Assyria cried with a loud voice to the 
people that were on the walls of Jerusalem, to frighten them, that they 
might give up the city. And they spoke against God, as though He were 
no better than the gods of the heathen. 

When King Hezekiah heard what they said, he rent his clothes, and 



3 88 



HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB. 




covered himself with sackcloth, and went 
into the house of the Lord to pray to Him. 
And he sent elders and priests to Isaiah, say- 
in g, It may be the Lord thy God will hear 
all the words of Rab-shakeh, whom the 
king of Assyria hath sent to reproach the 
living God, and will reprove the words 
which the Lord thy God hath heard. 
Wherefore lift up thy prayer for the rem- 
nant that are left. So the priests and elders 
went and told Isaiah. 

And Isaiah said to them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith 
the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, wherewith 
the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will 
send a blast upon him, and he shall return to his own land; and I will 
cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 

So Hezekiah would not give up the city to the king of Assyria; and 
the servants of the king of Assyria went back and told their master that 
Hezekiah refused to obey his commands. 

Then the king of Assyria sent messengers again to Hezekiah with a 
letter, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trusteth deceive thee, saying, 
Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria, 
Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, 
by destroying them utterly, and shalt thou be delivered? Have the gods 
of the nations delivered them whom my fathers have destroyed? 

When Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers of the king 
of Assyria, and read it, he took it and went into the temple, and spread it 
open before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, O 
Lord God of Israel, who dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the 
God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made 
heaven and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear. Open, Lord, 
thine eyes, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent 
him to reproach the living God. O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save 
us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou 
art the Lord God, even thou only. 

Then Isaiah went to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of 
Israel, That which thou has prayed to me against Sennacherib, king of 
Assyria, I have heard. He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an ar- 
row there, nor come before it with a shield, nor cast a bank against it. By 
the way that he come he shall return, and shall not come into this city, 
saith the Lord. 

And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, 




DESTRUCTION OF THE ASSYRIANS. 



389 



39° 



HEZEKIAH AND THE KING OF BABYLON. 



and slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand 
men. Then the king of Assyria went away and returned with shame to 
his own land. And as he was worshiping there in the house of his god, 
two of his own sons rose up against him and slew him. Thus the Lord 
saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the king of Assyria, 
and from all their other enemies. 




Hezekiah and the King of Babylon. 

II Kings xx; Chron. xxxii/ Isaiah xxxix. J13-6Q8 B. C. 

\ ND in those days Hezekiah was very sick. And the 
prophet Isaiah came to him and said, Thus saith 
the Lord, Set thy house in order, for thou 
shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah 
turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto 
the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, 
remember how I have walked before thee 
in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have 
done that which is good in thy sight. And 
Hezekiah wept greatly. 

And the Lord sent Isaiah back again to 
Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have heard thy prayer, I have 
seen thy tears; behold, I will heal thee. On the third day thou shalt go 
up to the house of the Lord, and I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 
And Isaiah said to the king's servants, Take 
a lump of figs and lay it upon the boil. And 
they did as he told them, and the king re- 
covered. 

And Hezekiah had very great riches and 
honor, and he made treasuries for his silver 
and gold, his precious stones and jewels. 
He built storehouses also for his corn and 
oil and wine, and made stalls for his horses 
and cattle; and cotes, or pens, for his flocks. 
And he built cities for himself, and gathered flocks and herds in great 
abundance, for God blessed and prospered him. 

Yet Hezekiah became proud of his great riches and honor, and did not 
keep himself humble before the Lord. And the king of Babylon sent 
messengers with letters and a present to him; for he had heard that Hez- 
ekiah had been sick, and was well again. And Hezekiah received the 
messengers gladly, and in his pride, took them to his treasure-houses and 




■%& 



ISAIAH AND HEZEKIAH. 



HEZEKIAH AND THE KING OF BABYLON. 391 

showed them his silver and gold, his precious jewels and all his riches. 
There was nothing in his house, nor in all his kingdom, that he did not 
show them. 

Then Isaiah, the prophet, came to Hezekiah, and said to him, What 
said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? Hezekiah said, 
They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. And Isaiah said, 
What have they seen in thy house? Hezekiah answered, All the things 
that are in my house they have seen ; there is nothing among my treasures 
that I have not shown them. 

Then Isaiah said to him, Hear the word of the Lord; Behold, the days 
come, that all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up 
in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon; nothing shall be left, 
saith the Lord. And of thy sons shall they take away, and they shall be 
servants in the palace of the king of Babylon. Hezekiah answered, Good 
is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken, for there shall be peace 
and truth in my days. 

Although the people had been persuaded by Hezekiah to destroy their 
idols and serve the Lord, yet, after a time, they 
fell back into idolatry again. And the Lord 
sent Micah, the prophet, to reprove them for 
their sins. Micah came and said, Hear ye now 
what the Lord saith; O my people, what have 
I done unto thee ? and wherein have I wearied 
thee? Testify against me. For I brought 
thee out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed 
thee out of the house of servants. And I sent 
before thee Moses, Aaron and Miriam. O my micah. 

people, remember now what Balak, the king of Moab, did, and what Baa- 
lam, the son of Beor, said to him. The Lord hath showed thee, O man, 
what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, 
and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 

But they would not obey the Lord, Micah said. Their rich men had 
gotten their riches by fraud, and had oppressed the poor; and their judges 
had taken bribes. There was no trust to be put in one's friends. Fathers, 
mothers, brothers and sisters had come to hate one another, and a man's 
enemies were those of his own house. Because they had become so 
wicked, Micah said, the Lord would send the king of Babylon against 
them, and he would carry the people away into Babylon. The city of 
Jerusalem should be destroyed, and become only heaps of stone, and the 
temple should be thrown down and carried away, and the place where it 
stood should be plowed as a field. 

And Hezekiah died, and all the people of Judah did him honor at his 




39- 



THE REIGN OF MANASSEH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 



death. And they buried him in the highest of the sepulchres of the kings. 
And Manasseh, his son, reigned in his stead. 



The Reigh of Mahasseh Oyer the Kingdom 

of Judah. 




// Kings xxi; II Chron. xxiii. 6Q8-641 B. C. 

ND Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, 
and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. But he 
^^iS £?ML ^^ ^ at wmcn was evn i n the sight of the Lord, for he 

» & built up again the high places which his father Heze- 

kiah had destroyed, and set up altars for the worship 
of idols. He worshiped also all the host of heaven, 
that is, the sun, moon and stars, and he built altars for his idols in the 
courts of the house of the Lord, and even set 
up an idol in the house itself. He caused his 
children to pass through the fire before his 
idols, and used enchantments, and talked with 
familiar spirits. He put to death also many 
innocent persons ; so that he did more wicked- 
ly, and caused the people to do more wickedly, 
than those heathen nations did, whom the Lord 
had destroyed before the children of Israel. 

And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to the 
people by His prophet, telling them that He would severely punish them 
for their sins; but they would not pay attention to them. Therefore the 
Lord brought against them the captains of the host of the king of As- 
syria, who came and took Manasseh from among the thorns where he was 

hiding; and they bound him with chains, and 
carried him to Babylon. 

And when he was in affliction, he sought 
the Lord, and humbled himself greatly before 
the God of his fathers, and prayed unto Him. 
And the Lord heard him, and brought him to 
Jerusalem again. 

Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was 
the God to be worshiped. And he took away 
the strange gods, and the idol that was in the 
house of the Lord, and all the altars that he 
had built in the courts of the temple, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out 
of the city. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and offered sacrifices 





KING AMON. 



THE REIGN OF MANASSEH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 



393 



thereon, and commanded the people of Judah to serve the Lord God of 
Israel. 

And Manasseh died, and was buried in the garden of his own house in 
Jerusalem; and Anion, his son, reigned in his stead. 

Anion was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he 
reigned two years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, 




MANASSEH CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVE. 



and sacrificed to the carved images which Manasseh, his father, had made. 
Yet he did not humble himself before the Lord, and put away his idols, 
as his father had done, but sinned more and more. And his servants rose 
up .against him, and killed him in his own house. But the people of the 
land slew all those who had rebelled against Amon, and made Josiah, his 
son, king in his stead. 



394 THE REIGN GF JOSIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 

The Reign of Josiah Oyer the kingdom of 

JUDAH. 




II Kings xxii-xxiii ; II Chron. xxxiv-xxxv; jfer. il-xi; xxxvi. 698- 

623 B. C. 
IGHT and just was the reign of Josiah, who sat 
upon the throne when he was only eight years 
old; and he reigned thirty-one years. And he 
did well in the sight of the Lord. For while 
he was yet young, he began to pray earnestly 
to the God of his fathers. And in the twelfth 
year of his reign, he began to remove the idols 
from Judah and Jerusalem. And he made his 
servants throw down the altars of Baal. And 
he went also among the people, who lived in 

the land of Israel (for before this time the ten tribes had been carried 

away into captivity), and destroyed all the idols and their altars that he 

found there. 

And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had 

beaten the graven images into powder, he returned to Jerusalem. 

Then he set men at work to repair the house of the Lord ; and the 

people brought money to the temple to pay the men who did the work. 

And Josiah sent Shaphan, the scribe, saying, Go to Hilkiah, the high 

priest, and tell him to count the silver which is brought into the house of 

the Lord by the people, and let it be given to the doers of the work — the 

carpenters and masons; and to buy timber and 

hewn stone to repair the house. And Shaphan 

went and told the high priest, who did as the 

king commanded. 

And Hilkiah, the high priest, said to 

Shaphan, I have found the book of the law in 

the house of the Lord. And he gave it to 

Shaphan, the scribe, who took it to Josiah, and 

said, The high priest hath given me a book. 

And he read it before the king. And when shaphan and king josiah. 

the king heard the words of the law, he rent his clothes. And he spoke 

to the high priest, and some others, saying, Go, inquire of the Lord for 

me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the 

words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is 

poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept s the word of the 

Lord, to do after all that is written in this book. 

Then Hilkiah, and those whom the king sent with him, went to Hul- 





THE REIGN OF JOSIAH OVER THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 395 

dah, the prophetess, and asked her what the Lord said through her to the 

king. And she answered, Thus saith the Lord, > i^^^^^^s^s 

Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and 

upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses 

that are written in the book, which they have 

read before the king of Judah. Because they 

have forsaken me, and have burned incense to 

other gods, therefore my wrath shall be poured 

out upon this place, and shall not be quenched. 

And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to 

inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say to him, hilkiah. 

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Because thy heart was tender, and 

thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words 

against this place, and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me; behold, 

thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see 

all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of 

the same. So they brought the king word again. 

Then Josiah sent and gathered together all the elders and the people, 
the priests and the Levites, and went up to the house of the Lord, and he 
read to them all the words of the book of the law which had been found 
in the temple. And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant with 
the Lord, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His 
testimonies with all his heart and with all his soul. And he caused all the 
people to make the covenant also. 

And the king commanded the priests to bring forth out of the temple 
of the Lord, all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and 
for all the host of heaven ; and he burned them outside the city in the 
fields of Kidron. And he put down all the idolatrous priests, whom the 
kings of Judah had ordained to offer sacrifices and to burn incense to idols. 
And he broke in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled 
their places with the bones of men to defile them. He also went to Bethel 
in the land of Israel, and broke in pieces the altar which Jeroboam had set 
up there for the worship of the golden calves. And as Josiah turned him- 
self, he saw sepulchres in the mount near by ; and he sent and took the 
bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar and defiled it. 

So the word of the Lord came to pass, as it had been spoken by the 
man of God to Jeroboam, more than three hundred years before. And 
Josiah sent men to the valley of Hinnom to defile it, so that no man might 
make his son or his daughter pass through the fire before the idol Molech 
any more. And he also put away all those persons who talked with evil 
spirits. 

And Josiah commanded that the feast of the passover should be kept, 



.,q6 the reign of josiah over the kingdom of judah. 

for the people had neglected for many years to keep that feast. And the 
king called all the people to Jerusalem to keep the passover, and he gave 
them, out of his own flocks and herds, thirty thousand lambs and kids, and 
three thousand bullocks, for the passover offerings. The princes also gave 
to the people many animals for the sacrifices. So the passover was kept 
in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign. 

And after these things, the king of Egypt came into the land of Israel 




JEREMIAH MOURNING THE DEATH OP JOSIAH. 

"with his army, to go and fight against the king of Assyria, and Josiah 
went out against him. And the king of Egypt sent messengers to him, 
saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not 
against thee this day, but against the house with which I have war. For- 
bear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee 
not. But Josiah would not turn back, but disguised himself, and went out 
to fight against him. And the Egyptian archers shot at King Josiah and 



THE REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ AND JEHOIAKIM OVER THE KINGDOM 

OF JUDAH. 



397 



hit him. And he said to his servants, Take me away, for I am sore 
wounded. His servants therefore took him out of the chariot that he 
was in, and put him into another, but he died. And they brought his dead 
body in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in the sepulchre of his 
fathers. And all the people mourned for him; and Jeremiah, the prophet, 
mourned greatly with them. 



The Reign of Jehoahaz akd Jehoiakim 
the klhgdom of judah. 



Oyer 




II Kings xxiii-xxiv; II Chron. xxxvi. 623-610 B. C. 

OW the people took Jehoahaz, the son of Jo- 
siah, and made him king in his father's place. 
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when 
he began to reign, and he reigned three 
months in Jerusalem. And he did that which 
was evil in the sight of the Lord. And 
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, came up against 
the people of Judah ; and he took Jehoahaz 
and bound him with fetters, and carried him 
away into Egypt, and he died there. And 
Pharaoh made Eliakim, the brother of 
Jehoahaz, king in his stead, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He also 
made Jehoiakim, and the people of Judah, pay a tribute of a hundred tal- 
ents of silver, and a talent of gold. 

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he 
reigned eleven years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the 
Lord. And Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up against him ; and 
because Jehoiakim was not able to oppose him, he promised to be his ser- 
vant. And Nebuchadnezzar carried away some of the vessels out of the 
temple of the Lord, and put them in the temple of his idol at Babylon. 

In the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, the word of the Lord came to 
Jeremiah, saying, Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the 
words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and 
against all the nations, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. It 
may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to 
do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, that I 
may forgive their iniquity and their sin. Then Jeremiah called Baruch, a 
scribe, to him ; and Baruch wrote down in a roll all the words of the Lord 
as Jeremiah spoke them. And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, Go 
thou and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the 



39 8 THE REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ AND JEHOIAKIM OVER THE KINGDOM 

OF JUDAH. 




JEREMIAH <VND BARUCH. 



words of the Lord, in the ears of the people in the Lord's house. And 

Baruch did as Jeremiah told him. And in the 
fifth year that Jehoiakim was king, a fast -was 
held before the Lord by all the people. Then 
Baruch took the book up to the house of the 
Lord, and read it where the people might hear. 
Then Michaiah went to the princes who 
were sitting in the king's house, and told them 
about the book that Baruch had read to the 
people. Then the princes sent to Baruch, 
saying, Take in thy hand the roll out of which 
thou hast read to the people, and come. So Baruch took the roll in his 
hand and came to them. And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read 
it in our ears. So Baruch read it to them. And when they heard all the 
words, they were afraid, and said, We will surely tell the king of all these 
words. And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou 
write all these words? Baruch answered, Jeremiah spoke all these words 
unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book. Then 
the princes said to him, Go hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man 
know where ye be. 

And they went to the king, and told him about the book, and he sent 
Jehudi, his servant, to bring it. And Jehudi brought it and read it to the 
king, and to all the princes who stood beside him. Now the king was 
sitting in his winter apartment, and there was 
a fire on the hearth burning before him. And 
when Jehudi had read three or four leaves of 
the book, the king took his penknife, and cut 
the book in pieces, and threw them into the 
fire, until all the book was consumed. Some 
of the princes begged the king not to burn 
the book; but he would not hear to them. 
And he sent some of his servants to take 
Baruch and Jeremiah, because they had writ- 
ten the book; but the Lord hid them. Then the word of the Lord came 
to Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the 
former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim, the king of Ju- 
dah, hath burned. So Jeremiah took another roll, and gave it to Baruch, 
the scribe, who wrote in it all the words of the book which Jehoiakim had 
burned in the fire. And there were added besides unto them many other 
like words. 

And Jehoiakim died, and Jehoiachim, his son, reigned in his stead. 




THE REIGNS OF JEHOIACHIM AND ZEDEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM 399 

OF JUDAH. 



theremins of jehoiachim ahd zedekiah oyer 
the Kingdom of Judah. 




II Kings xxiv-xxv; II Chron. xxxvz/ jfer. xxi, xxxviii-xxxix. 610- 

528 B. C. 

ND when Jehoiachim was eighteen years old, he began to 
reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And 

? ,ii SlfeiiliW ^ e ^^ ev ^ m tne s ^ nt °^ the Lord. And Nebuchad- 

nezzar, king of Babylon; came up against Jerusalem, 
and took the city. And he carried away the treasures 
of the Lord's house, and the treasures of the king's 
house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold and silver which Solomon 
had made for the temple of the Lord. And he took Jehoiachim, and his 
mother, his wives, his servants, his princes, and his officers; also all the 
skilled workmen, the smiths, and all the men that were strong and fit for 
war in Jerusalem, and carried them to Babylon. 

And Jeremiah, the prophet, wrote a letter to all the captives in Baby- 
lon, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, unto all that are carried 
away captives, Build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and 
eat the fruit of them. And seek the peace of the city whither I have 
caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for 
in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. For thus saith the Lord, That 
after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and per- 
form my good word toward you, in causing 
you to return to this place. Then shall ye 
call upon me, and I will hearken unto you. 
And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye 
search for me with all your heart. And I 
will turn away your captivity, and I will 
gather you from all the nations, and from 
all the places whither I have driven you, 
saith the Lord; and I will bring you again 
into the place whence I caused you to be 
carried away captive. 

And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, the brother of Jehoiakim, 
king over the people that were left in Judah, and he changed his name to 
Zedekiah. Now when Zedekiah was made king, he promised to be the 
servant of the king of Babylon, and obey him. But Zedekiah did wick- 
edly in the sight of the Lord; and the priests and the people sinned 
greatly also. After Nebuchadnezzar had gone back to Babylon, Zedekiah 




JEREMIAH. 




JEREMIAH AND THE KING. 



400 THE REIGNS OF JEHOIACHIM AND ZEDEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM 

OF JUDAH. 

rebelled against him. Then the king of Babylon came up again with all 
his army, against Jerusalem, and built forts around the city, and besieged 

it. 

And Zedekiah sent unto Jeremiah, the 
prophet, saying, Inquire, I pray thee, of the 
Lord for us, for the king of Babylon mak- 
eth war on us. It may be that the Lord 
will cause Nebuchadnezzar to go away from 
us. Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah's mes- 
sengers, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah, 
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, 
I will turn back the weapons of war that are 
in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and 
against the Chaldeans. And I myself will fight against you with an out- 
stretched hand and with a strong arm. And I will smite the inhabitants- 
of this city, both man and beast. They shall die of a great pestilence. 
Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death ; he that 
abideth in the city shall die by the sword, and by famine, and by pesti- 
lence; but he thatgoeth out and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you,, 
he shall live. For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not 
for good, saith the Lord ; it shall be given into the hand of the king of 
Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. 

After that, some of the princes of Judah, who had heard the words 
which Jeremiah had spoken, came to Zedekiah, and said, We beseech thee 
let Jeremiah be put to death, for thus he weaken- 
eth the hands of the men of war that remain in 
this city, and the hands of all the people, in speak- 
ing such words to them. For this man seeketh 
not the welfare of this people, but the hurt. 
Then Zedekiah said, Behold he is in your hand. 
Then they took Jeremiah, and let him down with 
cords into a deep dungeon, that was in the court 
of the prison; and in the dungeon there was no 
water, but mire, so Jeremiah sank in the mire. 

Now when Ebed-melech, one of the king's 
servants, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon, he went to the 
king, and said, My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they 
have done to Jeremiah, the prophet, whom they have cast into the dun- 
geon, for he is like to die of hunger in the place where he is. Then the 
king commanded Ebed-melech, saying, Take from hence thirty men with 
thee, and take up Jeremiah, the prophet, out of the dungeon before he die- 




KING, ZEDEKIAH ANGRY WITH 
JEREMIAH. 



THE REIGNS OF JEHOIACHIM AND ZEDEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM 401 

OFJUDAH. 



So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and they got some old cast off 
clothes and rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jere- 




JEREMIAH CAST INTO THE DUNGEON. 

miah. And Ebed-melech said to him, Put now these old clothes and rot- 
ten rags under thine armholes, under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. 
Then they drew him up with the cords out 
of the dungeon; and he was kept in the 
court of the prison. 

Then Zedekiah, the king, sent for Jere- 
miah, and took him into the entrance of the 
Lord's house. And he said to Jeremiah, I 
will ask thee a thing, hide nothing from 
me. Then Jeremiah said, If I declare it 
unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to 
death? And if I give thee counsel, wilt 
thou not hearken unto me? Zedekiah said, 
As the Lord liveth, that maple me a man, I will not put thee to death, 
neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life. 
Then Jeremiah said to the king, Thus saith the Lord, If thou wilt assured- 
ly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, 




JEREMIAH IN THE COURT OF THE PRISON. 



402 THE REIGNS OF JEHOIACHIM AND ZEDEKIAH OVER THE KINGDOM 

OF JUDAH. 

and this city shall not be burned with fire, and thou shalt live, and thy 
house. But if thou wilt not go forth, then shall this city be given into the 
hands of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt 
not escape out of their hand. 

Then the king said, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chal- 
deans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. Jeremiah 
answered, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of 
the Lord which I speak to thee; so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul 
shall live. But if thou refuse to go forth, they shall bring out all thy 
wives and thy children to the Chaldeans; and thou shalt not escape out of 
their hand, but shall be taken by the king of Babylon; and thou shalt 
cause this city to be burned with fire. 

Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, 
and thou shalt not die. So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the prison un- 
til Jerusalem was taken. But King Zedekiah would not do as Jeremiah 
advised him. And the king of Babylon besieged the city of Jerusalem, 
and took it. And when Zedekiah saw that the city was taken, he fled by 
night out of the city with his army. But the 
Chaldeans pursued them, and overtook them in 
the plains of Jericho. And they took Zedekiah 
and brought him to the king of Babylon. And 
Nebuchadnezzar slew Zedekiah's two sons, before 
his eyes, and put to death all the nobles of Judah. 
He also put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him 
with chains, and carried him to Babylon, and he 
died there. 

And Nebuzar-adan, the captain of the king of zedekiah. 

Babylon's army, burned the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and 
all the houses of the people, and broke down all the walls of the city. 
And he carried away to Babylon the two pillars of brass which stood be- 
fore the temple, the lavers, the sea of brass, and all the vessels of gold and 
silver that were in the house of the Lord. 

And Nebuzar-adan carried away captive to Babylon all the people who 
were left alive, except the poor of the land of Judah, whom he left to be 
vine-dressers and husbandmen. And the king of Babylon made Gedeliah 
governor over them. 

And so, because the people continued to disobey the Lord, and did 
wickedly, the kingdom of Judah was brought to an end. From the days 
of Rehoboam, Solomon's son, up to the time when Nebuchadnezzar took 
Jerusalem, there had been nineteen kings and one queen, yet five of the 
kings only had done right in the sight of the Lord. During the three 




THE JEWS KILL GEDALIAH. 



403 



hundred and eighty-eight years that the kingdom lasted, God had sent His 
prophets to reprove the people for their sins. They* had pleaded with the 
people to repent of their wickedness, and told them of the punishments 
that God would send upon them if they did not obey Him. But the peo- 
ple would not hearken, but kept on doing wrong, and worshiped idols, in- 
stead of serving God, so He caused them to be carried away captive out of 
their own land, as it had been prophesied many years before. 



The Jews Kill Gedaliah. 




Jeremiah xxxix-xliii. 388 B. C. 

HEN Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 
had taken Jeremiah, he gave charge con- 
cerning him to Nebuzar-adan, the captain 
of his army, saying, Take him, and do well 
to him, and do him no harm ; but do unto 
him even as he shall say unto thee. So 
Nebuzar-adan sent and took Jeremiah out 
of prison, and he said to him, Behold, I 
loose thee this day from the chains that 
were upon thy hand. If it seem good to 
thee to come with me into Babylon, come, 
and I will look well unto thee; but if it 
seem ill unto thee to come with me to Bab- 
ylon, forfear; behold, all the land is before 
thee; whither it seemeth good and conven- 
ient for thee to go, thither go. Thou canst go to Gedaliah, whom the 
king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell 
with him among the people. So the captain gave him food and money, 
and let him go. And Jeremiah went to Gedaliah, and lived with him 
among the people that were left in the land. 

Now when the captains of the forces of Judah, who had fled out into 
fields when Jerusalem was taken, heard that the king of Babylon had 
made Gedaliah governor over the poor of the land, who had not been car- 
ried away captive to Babylon, they came with their men to Gedaliah at 
Mizpah. And Gedaliah said to them, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans, 
but gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your ves- 
sels, and dwell in the cities that ye have taken. Also the Jews who had 
fled to Moab, and to the Ammonites, and to Edom, came back to the land 
of Judah, and gathered in the fruits and the grain from the fields. 

And Johanan came, with some others, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and said 
to him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis, king of the Ammonites, 



ZEDEKIAH. 




404 THE JEWS KILL GEDALIAH. 

hath sent Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, to slay thee. But Gedaliah did 
not believe them. Then Johanan said, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will 
slay Ishmael, and no man shall know it. Where- 
fore should he slay thee, that all the Jews which 
are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and 
the remnant in Judah should perish. But Ged- 
aliah said, Thou shalt not do this thing, for thou 
speakest falsely of Ishmael. 

But soon after, Ishmael, together with ten 
others of the princes of Judah, came to Gedaliah, 
and ate bread with him at Mizpah. And Ishmael, 
and the ten men who were with him, rose up and slew Gedaliah. Then 
they fled away to go to the Ammonites. When it was known that Ish- 
mael had slain Gedaliah, Johanan and all the people who had been left, 
made ready to go to Egypt, for they were afraid lest the king of Babylon 
would punish them for the murder of Gedaliah. And they came to Jere- 
miah, the prophet, and said, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be ac- 
cepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all 
this remnant, that the Lord may show us the way wherein we may walk, 
and the thing that we may do. Then Jeremiah answered, Behold, I will 
pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; whatsoever thing 
the Lord shall answer, I will declare it unto you. Then they said to Jere- 
miah, The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not 
even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send us. 
Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the 
Lord our God, to whom we send thee, that it may be well with us. 

And after ten days, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah, and told him what he 
should say to the people. Then he called for Johanan, and all the people 
that were with him, and said to them, Thus saith the Lord, If ye will still 
abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will 
plant you, and not pluck you up. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, 
saith the Lord, for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his 
hand. And I will show mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon 
you, and cause you to return to your own land. But if ye say, We will 
not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God, but 
we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear 
the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread, and there will we 
dwell; then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall 
overtake you in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were 
afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt, and there ye shall die. 

When Jeremiah had told the people what the Lord said, then all the 
proud men said to him, Thou speakest falsely; the Lord our God hath not 



THE END OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. 4°5 

sent thee to tell us not to go into Egypt to live there. And Bamah, the 
son of Neriah, has turned thee against us. 

And they said further to him, You want us to fall into the power of 
the Chaldeans (Kaldeans), so that they may kill us, and take us captives 
into Babylon. So Johanan and the other chief men of the people would 
not obey the voice of the Lord, but they took all the people who had been 
left in the land of Judah, the men, the women, and the children, and 
Jeremiah and Bamah also, and brought them down into the land of Egypt. 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



The story of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah teach us some very 
important lessons. The principal one is this, that just in proportion as a 
nation has a true conception of God, and worships Him accordingly, will 
be its national prosperity. 

We see the Jews rising and falling, just according to their notions of God 
— down under Chushan (Kushan) Rishathaaim, up under Othniel; down 
under Eglon, up under Ehud; down under Jabin, up under Deborah; 
down under Midian, up under Gideon; down under the Philistines, up un- 
der Samuel; down under the backsliding Saul, up under David; down 
under Rehoboam, rising again under Asa; down under Ahaz, rising again 
under the good Hezekiah; down again under Am on, aloft once more un- 
der Josiah. 

No depression but what is traceable to Balaam and Ashtaroth, or the 
gods of Syria, or the gods of Sidon, or the gods of Moab, or the gods of 
the Philistines; and no exaltation which is not traceable to a true adoration 
of the true God. 

The story fully confirms that solemn declaration of Holy Scriptures, 
that righteousness exalteth a nation, while sin is a reproach to any people. 

We are further taught how great a thing is personal responsibility. 
These kings who did not serve the true God, led their people astray. No 
one can occupy a position of influence without great responsibility for his 
conduct towards others. 

The lesson comes home to each one of ns. We all exert an influence, 
whether great or small, in the home, in the school, in the church, in so- 
ciety. Let it ever be thrown on the side of good, that we may help and 
not hinder immortal souls in their struggle through this life to the life 
beyond. 



,4°6 



THE VISION OF THE CHERUBIMS. EZEKIEL S COMMISSION. 



The Vision of the Cherubims. 
commission, etc. 



EZEKIEL' 




Ezekiel i-xlviii. 594 B. C, 

]S| the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, 
the Lord spoke to Ezekiel, the priest, who 
was among the captives by the river Chebar 
(Kebar), in the land of the Chaldeans (Kal- 
deans), and the Lord made him see a vision. 
Ezekiel looked, and behold a whirlwind 
came out of the north, and a great cloud, and 
a brightness was about the cloud. And out 
of the midst of the cloud came the likeness 
of four living creatures, having the form of a man. And every one had 
four faces and four wings. When they moved, 
Ezekiel heard the noise of their wings, like the 
noise of great waters. It was as the voice of 
the Almighty, as the noise of a host. When 
they stood, they let down their wings. 

Above the wings of the cherubim, Ezekiel 
saw the likeness of a sapphire throne, and on 
the throne was an appearance like the form of 
a man. This form seemed to be amber-colored 
fire, and the brightness round about it was like 
the rainbow. And the form was a likeness of ezekiel. 

the glory of the Lord. And when Ezekiel saw it, he fell upon his face 
and he heard the voice of the Lord. 

And the Lord said to him, Stand upon thy feet, and I will speak to 
thee. And the Spirit entered into Ezekiel, and set him upon his feet. And 
the Lord said unto him, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebell- 
ious nation. They, and their fathers, have sinned against me unto this very 
day. Speak to them and be not afraid of them. Tell them what I say 
unto thee, whether they will hear thee or not. 




THE STORY OF EZEKIEL. 



407 



1 Jk. 

- : - P- 




EZEKIEL UPON HIS PACE. 



And the Lord said unto him, Open thy mouth and eat that which I 

give thee. 

And Ezekiel looked, and behold a hand was 

neld out to him, and a roll was in the hand. 

And the roll was written within and without, 

with words of mourning and woe. And the 

Lord said to Ezekiel, Eat this roll, and go 

speak unto the house of Israel. Then Ezekiel 

ate the roll, and it tasted in his mouth as sweet 

as honey. And the Lord said to him, All my 

words that I shall speak unto thee, receive in 

thy heart, and hear with thy ears. And go to those who are in captivity, 

unto the children of thy people, and tell them 
what I have told thee. And the Lord com- 
manded Ezekiel to take a tile, and lay it before 
him, and draw upon it the city of Jerusalem. 
And He said to him, Lay siege against it, and 
build a fort against it, and cast a mount against 
it, and set battering rams against it round 
about. And the Lord said, Take an iron pan, 
and set it for a wall of iron between thee and 
the city. This shall be a sign to the house of 

Israel, that Jerusalem shall be taken by the enemy. 

In the sixth year of Jehoiachin's captivity, the Lord caused Ezekiel to 

see another vision. And he looked, and saw a 

form that seemed to be of fire. And the form 

appeared to put forth a hand, which took 

Ezekiel by a lock of his hair, and he thought 

he was lifted up between earth and heaven, 

and carried away from the river Chebar to the 

gate of the temple in Jerusalem. And the 

Lord told him to lift up his eyes toward the 

north. So Ezekiel looked toward the north, 

and he saw an idol standing near the altar. ldrawgonthetile. 

And the Lord said, Dost thou see what abomination they do here? But 

turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. 

And the Lord brought Ezekiel to the door of the court, and when he 

looked, he saw a hole in the wall, and the Lord said to him, Dig now in 

the wall. And when he had digged in the wall, he saw a door. And 

the Lord said to him, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that 

they do here. 

So Ezekiel went in and looked; and he saw every form of creeping 




THE ROLL. 



m 





THE VALLEY OF DKY BONES. 



408 



THE STORY OF EZEKIEL. 409 

things, and unclean beasts and all the idols of the house of Israel, pict- 
ured upon the walls. 

And there stood before them seventy men, of the ancients of the house 
of Israel, every man with a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense 
went up. Then the Lord said to Ezekiel, Hast thou seen what the an- 
cients of the house of Israel do in the dark ? For they say, The Lord see- 
eth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth. 

And the Lord told Ezekiel to turn again, and he should see still greater 
abominations. And He brought Ezekiel into the inner court of the Lord's 
house, and there he saw, between the porch and the altar, about twenty- 
five men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces 
toward the east; and they worshiped the sun. 

Then the Lord said to Ezekiel, Hast thou seen this? Is it a light thing 
to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which thou hast 
seen? For all this I will punish them. 

Then it seemed to Ezekiel as if he were again lifted up by the Spirit, 

and carried away from Jerusalem, back to 
the land of Chaldea. And he told the cap- 
tives who lived by the river Chebar, all the 
things that the Lord had shown him. 

And the Lord showed Ezekiel still an- 
other vision. It seemed to him as if he 
were set down in the midst of a valley which 
was full of dead men's bones. And he w T ent 
around among the bones, and saw that there 
ezekiITteTling the vi^^tcTthe were very many of them, and they were 

CAPTIVES. yery dry< And the L()rd ^^ tQ E zekiel? 

Can these bones live? And Ezekiel answered, O Lord God, thou know- 
est. The Lord said unto him, Say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the 
word of the Lord. Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye 
shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring flesh upon 
you, and cover you with skin, and ye shall live. 

So Ezekiel spoke as the Lord commanded him. And as he spoke, 
there was a noise and a shaking among the bones; and they came together, 
each bone to its bone. And while Ezekiel was looking at them, the sin- 
ews and flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above; but 
there was no breath in them. 

And the Lord said to Ezekiel, Say unto the wind, Come from the 
four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 
So Ezekiel prophesied as the Lord commanded, and the breath came into 
the dead bodies, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceeding 
great army. Then the Lord said unto Ezekiel, Son of man, these bones 




4io 



DANIEL, SHADRACH, MESHACII, AND ABEDNEGO. 



are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, our bones are dried, and 
our hope is lost. Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus saith the 
Lord God, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and bring you 
into the land of Israel. And I will put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live, 
and I shall place you in your own land. Then shall ye know that I, the 
Lord, have spoken it, and performed it. 



Dahiel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 




Daniel u 607 B. C, 

came to pass in the third year of the reign of 
Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, 
the king of Babylon, came up against Jeru- 
salem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave 
Jehoiakim into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, 
and he became his servant. And Nebuchad- 
nezzar commanded Ashpenaz, the chief of 
his servants, to choose some of the young 
princes of the children of Israel, that he 
might take them to Babylon to serve in the 
king's palace. They were to be children or young men without blemish, 
of beautiful countenances, well-formed, wise, and having ability to learn. 
For they were to be taught all the wisdom and the language of the Chal- 
deans. And the king of Babylon also commanded that the young princes 
should be fed every day with food and wine 
from his own table, for three years, and at the 
end of that time they were to wait upon him 
in his palace. 

Now, among those who were chosen, were 
four young men, named Daniel, Hananiah, 
Mishael and Azariah. But Ashpenaz, the chief 
servant, changed their names; and he named 
Daniel, Belteshazzar; Hananiah, Shadrach ; 
Mishael, Meshach ; and Azariah, Abednego. daniel. 

But Daniel determined, in his heart, not to eat of the food, nor drink 
of the wine which the king provided for them, lest he should defile him- 
self, and disobey God. Therefore he asked the chief officer that he and 
his three companions might not eat of the king's food. 

Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the 
chief officer, and he said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king who hath ap- 
pointed your meat and drink; for why ' should he see your faces worse 




THE STORY OF DANIEL. 411 

looking than the children which are of your sort? Then shall ye make me 
in danger of being put to death by the king. Then Daniel said to Mel- 
zar, whom the chief officer had set over Daniel and his three companions, 
Try thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days, and give us pulse (vegetable 
food) to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked 
upon, and the countenances of the children that eat of the portion of the 
king's meat. Then do with us as seems good to thee. So the steward 
consented to do as the young men asked him. And at the end of the ten 
days their faces appeared fairer and fatter, than the faces of all the other 
young men, who had been fed with the food from the king's table. So 
Melzar, the steward, took away the king's food and wine, and gave them 
pulse to eat. 

As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in 
all learning and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and 
dreams. And, at the end of three years, the chief officer brought them in 
before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king talked with them. And among 
the young men who had been chosen to serve him, he found none like 
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And in all matters of wis- 
dom and understanding, concerning which the king asked them, he found 
them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his realm. 
And Daniel lived in Babylon, even unto the first year of King Cyrus. 



Dahiel Interprets Rebuchadhezzar's 

Dream. 




Daniel it. 603 B. C. 

N the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a 
dream which troubled his mind, so that he could not sleep. 
Then he commanded all the magicians and astrologers, and 
all the wise men of Babylon to be called, that they might 
make known to him his dream. So they came and stood 
before the king. And he said them, I have dreamed a 
dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. Then the wise 
men spoke to the king, and said, O king, live forever; tell thy servants 
the dream, and we will show the interpretation. The king answered, and 
said to them, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto 
me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and 
your houses shall be destroyed. But if ye show the dream, and the inter- 
pretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and reward and great honor. 
Therefore show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. The wise 
men answered again, and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, 
and we will show the interpretation of it. 



412 



DANIEL INTERPRETS NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM. 




DANIEL SEEING THE VISION. 



The king told them, if they did not tell him the dream, they should die. 
Then the wise men answered the king, saying, There is not a man 
upon the earth that can show the king's dream. 

Then the king was angry and very furious, and he commanded that 
all the wise men of Babylon should be destroyed. And the decree went 
forth that the wise men should be slain ; and they sought Daniel and his 
friends that they might slay them. 

When Daniel heard of it, he said to Arioch, the king's captain, who 

had come forth to slay the wise men, Why is the decree so hasty from the 

king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel 

went to the king, and said, that if he would give him time, he would show 

_^v^i ;._:.;:.: — =---.:■-- the king the interpretation. Then Daniel 

went to his house, and made known the 
thing to his three companions, and asked 
them to pray that God would reveal to him 
the secret of the king's dream, so that thev 
might not be slain. 

Then was the secret revealed to Daniel 
in a night vision. And Daniel praised God, 
and said, Blessed be the name of God for 
ever and ever, for wisdom and might are 
His. I thank thee, and praise thee, O God of my fathers, who hast given 
me wisdom and might, and hast made known to me what we desired of 
thee, for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. Then 
Daniel went to Arioch, the king's captain, and said to him, Destroy not 
the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show 
unto him the interpretation. 

Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said to 
him, I have found a man of the captives of 
Judah, that will make known unto the king 
the interpretation. Then the king said to 
Daniel, Art thou able to make known unto 
me the dream which I have seen, and the 
interpretation thereof? Daniel answered, 
The secret which the king hath demanded, 
the wise men cannot show unto him ; but 
there is a God in heaven that revealeth se- 
crets, and maketh known to king Nebuchad- 
nezzar what shall be in the latter days, and 
He that revealeth secrets, maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 
But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have, 
more than any one living, but for their sakes, I shall make known the 




DANIEL BEFORE NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 



THE STORY OF DANIEL. 



413 



interpretation to the king, and the thoughts which thou hast forgotten, 
that are within thy heart. 

Thou, O king, sawest, and beheld a great image. This great image, 
whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee, and the form thereof 
was terrible. The head of this image was of fine gold, his breast and his 
arms were of silver, his belly and thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet 
part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out 
without hands, which smote the image upon his feet, and broke them in 
pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, 
broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer thesh- 
ing- floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for 




DANIEL INTERPRETING NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM. 

them. And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and 
filled the whole earth. 

This is the dream, and we will tell the interpretation thereof before 
the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath 
given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever 
the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the 
heaven hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over all. 
Thou art this head of gold. 

And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and an- 



414 



THE GOLDEN IMAGE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 



other third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all trie earth. 
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron 
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things. And as iron breaketh all 
things, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the 
feet and toes, part of potter's clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be 
divided. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a 
kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be 
left to other people, but it shall break, in pieces and consume all these 
kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain 
without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the 
silver, the gold. The gre.it God hath made known to the king what shall 
come to pass hereafter, and the dream is certain, and the interpretation 
thereof sure. 

Then the king fell down upon his face before Daniel, and said, Of a 
truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a re- 
vealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 

Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many rich gifts, 
and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and the chief 
governor over all the wise men. And at Daniel's request, the king also 
made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego rulers in his kingdom. But 
Daniel sat in the gate of the king. 



The Golden Image of Hebuchadnezzar. 



Daniel Hi. 580 B. C. 

HEN Nebuchadnezzar, the king, made an im- 
age of gold, and set it up in the plain of Dura, 
in the province of Babylon. Then the king 
sent to gather together the princes, the gov- 
ernors, the captains, the judges, the treasurers, 
the counsellors, and all the rulers of the prov- 
inces, to come to the dedication of the image 
which Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then all 
the chief men of the king came at the king's 
command, and stood before the image. Then 
a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and lan- 
guages, that at the time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, 
sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and 
worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar, the king, hath set up. 
And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast 
into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 




THE STORY OF DANIEL. 415 

Therefore at that time, when the people heard the sound of the music, 
they all fell down and worshiped the golden image. 

Then certain Chaldeans came to the king and said, O king, live for- 
ever! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have not regarded thee; neither 
do they serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set 
up. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in his rage, commanded them to bring Shad- 
rach, Meshach, and Abednego. And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Is it 
true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my 
gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now, if you 
do not w T orship it, when you hear the sound of music, you shall be cast the 
same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the God 
that shall deliver you out of my hands? 

Then these three men said to the king, If it be so, our God whom we 
serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will de- 
liver us out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O 
king, that we will not. serve thy gods, nor worship the image which thou 
hast set up. 

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury. And he commanded that the 
furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was wont to be heated. 
And he commanded the most mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, 
Meshach, and Abednego, and cast them into it. Then these three men 
were bound in their coats, their hats, and their other garments, and were 
cast into the burning fiery furnace, and the furnace was so hot it burned 
the men who threw the three Hebrew youths into it. And Shadrach, 
Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound in the midst of the furnace. 

But as Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace he was astonished, and 
said to his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of 
the fire? They answered, and said, True, O king. He said, Lo, I see 
four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and 
the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar 
came near to the mouth ot the burning fiery furnace, and said, Shadrach, 
Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth 
and come hither. Then they came forth from the midst of the fire. And 
the princes, governors, and captains, being gathered together, saw these 
men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their 
heads singed, neither were their coats changed, nor was the smell of fire 
upon them. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shad- 
rach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent His angel, and delivered His ser- 
vants that trusted in Him. Therefore I make a decree, that every people, 
nation and language, which shall speak anything amiss against the God of 




THE THREE HEBREW CHILDREN IN THE FIERY FURNACE. 



416 



THE STORY OF DANIEL. 4*7 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses 
shall be destroyed ; because there is no other God that can deliver after 
this manner. Then the king gave greater honor to Shadrach, Meshach, 
and Abednego in the province of Babylon. 



Hebuchadhezzar Relates his Dream and 
the Fulfillment of it. 




Daniel iv. gyo B. C. 

EBUCHADNEZZAR sent an account to all his people, 

and to other nations, of what had been done to him. 

He said to them, I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my 

house, and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream 

which made me afraid. Therefore I made a decree to 

bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that 

they might tell me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in before 

me all the wise men, and I told the dream to them, but they could not tell 

me what it meant. 

But at last, Daniel came in before me, in whom is the Spirit of the holy 
God; and I told him the dream, and asked him to explain it to me. 

I told him that I saw a tree of great height in the midst of the earth. 
The tree grew and was strong, and it reached unto heaven, and it spread 
its branches to the ends of all the earth. Its leaves were fair, and its fruit 
abundant. The beasts of the field rested in its shade, and the fowls of the 
heaven dwelt in its boughs. Everything living had food from it. 

And I saw in my dream a holy being come down from heaven. He 
cried aloud, and said, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake 
off its leaves, and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get away from under it, 
and the fowls from its branches. Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots 
in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the 
field ; and let it be with the beasts of the earth for seven years. 

Now, O Daniel, tell me its meaning, for all the wise men of my king- 
dom are not able to make it known. Then Daniel was astonished and 
afraid. Then the king said to him, Let not the dream, nor the interpreta- 
tion trouble thee. 

Then Daniel said, The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was 
strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, under which the beasts of 
the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had 
their habitation, is thee, O king, who art grown and become strong, for 
thy greatness reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the 
earth. And as thou didst see a holy being coming down from heaven, and 



41 S NEBUCHADNEZZAR RELATES HIS DREAM AND THE FULFILLMENT 

OF IT. 

saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it, yet leave the stump of the 
roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the ten- 
der grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let it 
be with the beasts of the field, till seven years pass over it; — this is the in- 
terpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most high God regard- 
ing thee. They shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with 
the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass like oxen, and 
thou shalt be wet with the dew of heaven for seven years, until thou shalt 
know that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it 
to whomsoever He will. 

All that Daniel had spoken came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the 
end of twelve months he was walking in the palace of the kingdom of 
Babylon. And the king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon that I 
have built for the house of my kingdom by the might of my power, and 
for the honor of my majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, 
there came a voice from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee 
it is spoken, The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive 
thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They 
shall make thee eat grass as oxen, and seven years shall pass over thee, 
until thou know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and 
o-ives it to whomsoever He will. 

That same hour was this thing done to Nebuchadnezzar, and he was 
driven from among men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet 
with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagle's feathers, and 
his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of seven years, Nebuchadnez- 
zar said, I lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my reason came back to me, 
and I praised the Most High God who lives forever. No man can stay 
His hand, or say to Him, What doest thou? 

At the same time my reason came back to me, and the honor and glory 
of my kingdom. And my counsellors sought for me and I was seated on 
my throne again. And great majesty was also given me again. 

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor the king of heaven, whose 
works are truth, and His ways judgment; and those that walk in pride He 
is able to cast down. 



THE STORY OF DANIEL. 



4T 9 



The Handwriting ok the Wall. 




Daniel v. 569 B. C. 

ELSHAZZAR, the king, made a great 
feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank 
wine before them. Belshazzar, while he 
tasted the wine, commanded to bring the 
gold and silver vessels, which his father 
Xebuchadnezzar had taken out of the 
temple in Jerusalem, that the king, and 
his princes, and his wives, might drink 
out of them. Then they brought the ves- 
sels, as the king commanded, and he, and 
his princes, and his wives drank out of them. They drank wine, and 
praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of 
stone. 

In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote upon 
the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the part of 
the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and he 
became greatly afraid, and his limbs trembled so that his knees smote one 
against another. And he cried aloud to bring in the wise men of the 
Chaldeans. And the king said to them, Whosoever shall read this 
writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with 
scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third 
ruler in the kingdom. But the wise men could not read the writing, nor 
make known to the king the interpretation. Then was King Belshazzar 
greatly troubled, and his lords were troubled with him. 

Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came 
into the banquet house, and said, O king, live f orever ; let not thy thoughts 
trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. There is a man in thy 
kingdom, in whom is the Spirit of the holy God, whom thy father, the 
king Nebuchadnezzar, made master of all the wise men of the Chaldeans, 
and soothsayers. Now let Daniel, this wise man, be called, and he will 
show thee the meaning. 

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king said to 
him, Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the captivity of 
Judah, whom the king, my father, brought out of Judea? I have heard 
of thee, that thou canst make interpretations known, and remove 
doubts. Now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me what 
it means, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about 
thv neck, and thou shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. 



420 



THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL. 



Then Daniel said to the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy 
rewards to another; yet I will read the writ- 
ing to the king, and make known to him its 
meaning. 

O thou king, the most high God gave Neb- 
uchadnezzar, thy father, a kingdom, and maj- 
esty, and glory, and honor. And for the maj- 
esty that he gave him, all people, nations, and 
languages trembled before him. Whom he 
would, he slew, and whom he would, he kept 
alive; whom he would he set up, and whom 
he would he put down. But when his heart 
was lifted up, and he became full of pride, he was deposed from his king- 
ly throne. And they took his glory from him. And he was driven from 
the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling 
was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body 
was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God 




DANIEL AND BELSHAZZAR. 




DANIEL READING THE WRITING ON THE WALL. 



ruled in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints whom He will to 
rule. 

And thou, his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though 
thou knewest all this; but thou hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of 
heaven. And they have brought the vessels of His house before thee, and 



THE STORY OF DANIEL. 



42 1 



thou, and thy lords, and thy wives, have drunk wine in them. And thou 
hast praised the gods of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, 
which see not, nor hear, nor know ; and the God in whose hand thy breath 
is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified. Then was the 
part of the hand sent from Him, and this 
writing was written. 

And this is .the writing that was written, 
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 
This is its meaning, God hath numbered thy 
kingdom, and finished it. Thou art weighed 
in the balances, and art found wanting. 
Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the 
Medes and Persians. 

Then Belshazzar commanded them to 
clothe Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and 
make a proclamation that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 

In that same night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, slain, 
and Darius, the Mede, took the kingdom. 




DANIEL MADE THE THIRD RTXLER. 



Daniel in the Lion's Den. Daniel Praying 
for the Return of the Jews. 



Daniel vi-ix. 538 B. C. 

OW it pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 
a hundred and twenty princes. And over 
these princes he set three presidents, of whom 
Daniel was the first. And Daniel was held in 
higher honor by the king than all the presi- 
dents and princes beside, because he was so 
good and wise. 

And the king thought he would make him 
ruler over the whole realm. Then the presi- 
dents and princes tried to find some wrong 
that Daniel had done, in ruling the kingdom ; 
but they could find no fault in him, because he was so faithful. Then 
these men said, We shall not find any fault in this Daniel, except we find 
H in his worship of his God. 

So the presidents and the princes came to the king, and said to him, 
King Darius, live forever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the gov- 
ernors, the princes, and the captains, have consulted together, to establish a 
royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a peti- 
tion of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast 




422 DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN. DANIEL PRAYING FOR THE 

RETURN OF THE JEWS. 




KING DARIUS. 



into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the 

writing, that it be not changed, according to the 

law of the Medes and Persians, which does not 

alter. Then King Darius signed the writing and 

the decree. 

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was 

signed, he went into his house. And the win- 
dows of his chamber being opened toward Jeru- 
salem, he kneeled down before God three times a 

day, and prayed, and gave thanks to God as he 

did before. 

Then these men came together, and found Daniel praying to God- 

And they came to the king, and said, Hast thou not signed a decree, that 

every man that shall ask a petition of any god 
or man within thirty days, save of thee, O 
king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The 
king answered, Yes, the thing is true, accord- 
ing to the law of the Medes and Persians, 
which does not alter. Then they said, Daniel 
does not honor thee, O king, nor the decree 
which thou hast signed. But he makes his 
petition to his God three times a day. 
.and the king. Then the king, when he heard these words,. 

was greatly displeased with himself for signing such a decree, for he loved 

Djaniel, and wished to save him. And he tried hard, until the sun went 

down, to deliver him. 

Then these men came to the king, and said 

to him, Know^ O king, that the law of the 

Medes and Persians is, That no decree or 

statute which the king has sent forth may be 

changed. Then the king - told them to take 

Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. 
But the king came to Daniel, and said to 

him, Thy God, whom thou dost serve all the 

time will deliver thee. Then they cast Daniel into den of lions. And they 

brought a stone and placed it upon the mouth of the den. And the king 

sealed it with his own seal, and with the seal of his lords, so that the 

purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. 

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night without eating 

anything; neither were instruments of music brought before him; and he 

could not sleep all night. 





THE KING CALLING TO DANIEL. 



THE STORY OF DANIEL 



423 



Very early in the morning he rose up, and went in haste to the den of 
lions. And when he came there, he cried with a sad voice unto Daniel, 
saying, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou dost 
serve, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then Daniel said to the king, 
O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the 
lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me, because He knew I had done 
right, and that I have done thee, O king, no hurt. Then was the king 
exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel 




DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS. 



up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up, and no manner of nurt was 
found upon him, because he believed in his God. 

Then the king commanded that the men who had accused Daniel, 
should themselves be cast into the den of lions with their children, and then' 
wives. And the lions attacked them, and broke all their bones in pieces, 
as soon as they came to the bottom of the den. Then King Darius made 
a decree that in every part of his kingdom, all men should fear before 
the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and His kingdom shall be for- 
ever to the end. He delivers and rescues, and works signs and wonders 
in heaven and in earth, and delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 

So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus 
the Persian. 



424 THE JEWS RETURN TO THEIR OWN LAND AND BEGIN TO 

REBUILD THE TEMPLE. 



Daniel had learned through the Books of the Law which he read, that 
the prophet Jeremiah had declared that the 
captive Jews should go back to their own land 
at the end of seventy years. 

The time had nearly come for these years 
to end. So Daniel wept, and fasted and prayed, 
that God might take them back again. And 
while he was praying, the angel Gabriel came 
swiftly from heaven and talked with Daniel. 
The angel told him that God had heard his 
prayer, and that the Jews should go back at the 
end of the seventy years. 

He also told him that at the end of four hundred and ninety years, 
Jesus, the Messiah, should come into the world to save it. And at the end 
of that time, Jesus did come. 




THE ANGEL GABRIEL. 



The Jews Return to Their Own Land and 
Begin to Rebuild the Temple. 




Ezra i-iv. fj6 B. C. 

N the first year of the reign of Cyrus, king of Per- 
sia, God put it into the heart of the king to let the 
Jews go back to their own land, as Jeremiah had de- 
clared they should go, at the end of the seventy 
years. 

And ne sent out a proclamation to the Jews 

through all his kingdom, that they might return. 

And the chief of the Jews of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the 

priests and the Levites and others prepared 

to go. 

And the people that were about them, 
gave them vessels of silver and gold, and 
raiment, and cattle, and many precious 
things. 

And Cyrus, the king, brought forth the 
vessels of gold and silver belonging to the 
house of the Lord, — five thousand four hun- 
dred — which Nebuchadnezzar had taken 




THE BOOK OF EZRA. 



425 





THE PEOPLE GIVING THEIR TREASURES. 



ZERUBBABEL. 



away from the temple at Jerusalem, and put in the house of his god. And 

Cyrus gave them 
to Zerubbabel, 
the prince of Ju- 
dah. 

Zerubb a b e 1 
took the vessels 
and carried them 
to Jeru s a le m. 
And there went 
with him forty- 
two thousand three hundred and sixty persons of the people of Israel, be* 
side their servants. These numbered seven thousand three hundred and 
thirty-seven. They had with them seven hundred and thirty-six horses, 
two hundred and forty-five mules, four hundred and thirty-five camels, 
and six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. And when they came 
to Jerusalem, the chief men gave freely of their riches to build the house 
of God. 

And all the people came together to build up again the altar of the 
Lord, that they might offer up sacrifices upon it, and ask God to help 
them, for they were afraid of the heathen people that were around them. 
So they set up the altar, and offered up the morning and evening sacrifices, 
as they used to do before they went into captivity. 

Then they made ready to build the temple. They gave money to the 
p ' __sjMjfeap£ s .„ masons and to the ._... ._.-_^-^=^=,-^.w.-. 

carpenters who be- 
gan the work, and 
they hired men of 
Tyre to bring cedar 
trees from Lebanon 
by sea to Joppa. 
And when the 
builders laid the 
foundation of the 
temple of the Lord, the priests and the Levites played upon trumpets and 
cymbals, and sang songs of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. And 
all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, 
because the foundation of the Lord's house was laid. But many of the 
priests and Levites, and of the old men who had seen the first Temple, 
wept with a loud voice, so that the people could not tell the noise of the 
shout of joy from the noise of weeping. And the sounds were heard afar off. 
Now, when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the captive 




THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES 
PRAISING. 




EZRA AND THE PEOPLE REJOICING. 



426 



THE JEWS RETURN TO THEIR OWN LAND AND BEGIN TO 
REBUILD THE TEMPLE. 



Jews had come back to their own land, and were building the temple of 
the Lord, they came to Zerubbabel and the chief men of the Jews, and 
said to them, Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do; and 
we have sacrificed unto Him ever since the king of Assyria brought us 
here. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief men of Is- 
rael, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto 
our God ; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Is- 
rael, as Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us. 

Then the people of the land, who were called Samaritans, hindered 




THE FOUNDATION OP THE TEMPLE LAID. 



the people of Judah all they could, and troubled them in building. And 
they hired counsellors to speak against them, to bring their plans to noth- 
ing, all the days of King Cyrus. And when Artaxerxes became king, 
these men wrote a letter to him, saying, Be it known unto thee, O king, 
that the Jews which came up from thee to us, are come to Jerusalem, 
building the rebellious and bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and 
joined the foundations. Be it known now unto the king, that if the city 
is built, they will not pay tribute, and so thou wilt not have the rev- 
enue which belongs to thee. 



THE BOOK OF EZRA. 



427 



The Temple is Finished. 




Ezra v-vi. 522 B. C. 

HEN God sent the prophets Haggai and Zecha* 
riah to reprove the Jews, that were in Judah 
and Jerusalem, for their want of zeal in build- 
ing the temple, and also to encourage them to 
go on with the work. 

About fourteen years had now passed, since 
they had stopped the work of building the 
temple, at the command of Artaxerxes, and dur- 
ing that time, they had been employed in put- 
ting up houses for themselves. And Haggai 
came to the chief men and said, The Lord 
commands you to go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the 
Temple, and He says, I will take pleasure in it. 

Zechariah also came and spoke to them, and encouraged them. 
Then Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, the high priest, set the people at work 
again, to build the house of the Lord, and the prophets of God were with 
them to help them. And when the Samaritans saw that the Jews had be- 
gun again to build the house, they came to them and said, Who hath com- 
manded you to build this house, and to set up this wall ? The Jews an- 
swered them as they thought best, but they did not stop the work of 
building. 

Then the chief men of the Samaritans wrote a letter to Darius, who 
had been made king after the death of Artaxerxes. And in this letter they 
said, This work goeth on fast. Then asked we the elders of the Jews, 
Who commanded you to build this house? And thus they returned an 
answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and of earth, 
and build the house that was built many years ago by a great king* of Is- 
rael. But after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he 
gave them into the hand of Nebuchad- 
nezzar, the king of Babylon, who destroyed 
this house, and carried the people away into 
Babylon. But King Cyrus made a decree 
to build this house of God. And the vessels 
of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar 
had taken out of the temple at Jerusalem, 
these did Cyrus deliver unto Sheshbazzar 
(Zerubbabel), whom he had made governor, \ m wm 

and said unto him, Take these vessels, carry ezra reading the decree. 




428 



THE TEMPLE IS FINISHED. 



them to the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built 
in its place. And they asked him to search the records of his kingdom to 
find out if Cyrus had given the Jews permission to rebuild the temple. 

Then King Darius caused search to be made in the books in which the 
decrees had been written. And there was found in the palace at Ach- 
metha, in the kingdom of the Medes, a book in which this record was 
written. In the first year of Cyrus, the king, the same Cyrus made a 
decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be built, 
the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be 
strongly laid; and let the expenses be given out of the king's treasury. 
Also, let the gold and silver vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar took away 




REBUILDING TUE TEMPLE. 

out of the temple, be carried back again to Jerusalem, and put into the 
house of God that is to be built there. 

When this decree, which Cyrus had made, was found, Darius sent 
word to the chief men of the Samaritans, saying, Let the work of this 
house of God alone; let the governor and the elders of the Jews build this 
house of God. Moreover I make a decree, that out of the king's goods, 
•even of the tribute beyond the river, money for the building shall be given 
unto the Jews, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need 
of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offerings of 
the God of heaven, wheat, salt, oil, and wine, according to the wants of 



THE BOOK OF EZRA. 



429 



the priests, let it be given them day by day without fail, that they may 
offer sacrifices unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king 
and his sons. 

Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let 
timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged 
thereon, and let his house be made into heaps of rubbish. 

Then the chief men of the Samaritans made haste to do as the king 
commanded, and gave to the Jews what things they needed, and the Jews 
went on building the house until they had finished it. 

Then the priests and the Levites, and the children of Israel, dedicated 
the house of God with joy. And they offered up sacrifices to the Lord, a 
hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, and for a 
sin-offering, twelve goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 
And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, 
to attend to the service of God at the temple. On the fourteenth day of 
the first month, the people kept the feast of the passover, for seven days, 
with gladness; for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart 
of the king of Persia unto them, to help them build the house of God. 



Ezra Goes up to Jerusalem. The People 
put away their heatheh wlyes. 



Ezra vii-viii. 45 7 B. C. 

HEN after these things, in the reign of Artax- 
erxes, king of Persia, Ezra, a priest and teach- 
er, asked leave of King Artaxerxes to go up to 
Jerusalem; for he wished to teach the people 
to obey the Lord. And the king not only told 
Ezra that he might go, but he also gave him a 
letter, which said, Artaxerxes, king of kings, 
unto Ezra, the priest. I make a decree that all 
they of the people of Israel, and of the priests 
and Levites, in my realm, who wish to go up 
to Jerusalem, may go with thee, because thou art sent by the king to in- 
quire concerning the law of thy God in Judah and Jerusalem ; and to carry 
the silver and gold which the king, and his counsellors, and the people of 
Babylon, have given as a free-will offering unto the God of Israel, that 
thou mayest buy with this money, bullocks, rams, and lambs, to offer up 
as sacrifices upon the altar of the house of your God at Jerusalem. And 
the king, in this letter or decree, further gave orders to his treasurers who 
were near Jerusalem, to give whatever money. Ezra might need, of silver 




43° 



EZRA GOES UP TO JERUSALEM. THE PEOPLE PUT AWAY THEIR 

HEATHEN WIVES. 



and wheat, and oil and salt. And he also told Ezra to choose magistrates 
to judge among the people. 

And Ezra thanked the God of his fathers, because He had made the 
king so kind to him, and so willing to help him in the good work he was 
going to do. Then Ezra gathered together at the river Ahava, some of 
the chief men of the Jews, and they lived there in their tents for three 
days. And when Ezra looked over the priests and the people that were 
with him, he found that there were no Levites among them. So he sent 
for some of the Levites to come to him. 

And while they stayed by the river Ahava, Ezra caused the people to 
fast, and they prayed that God would help them, and make known to 
them the right way to go, with their little ones, and the treasures they had 




THE KING GIVING THE LETTER OB DECREE TO EZRA. 



with them. For Ezra was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers 
and horsemen to help them against any enemy in the way, because he had 
said to the king, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek 
Him ; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him* 

So Ezra and all the people fasted, and begged the Lord to take care of 
them, and the Lord heard them. 

Then Ezra called twelve of the priests to him, and weighed out to 
them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, which the king, and his 
counsellors and the people had given as an offering for the house of the 
Lord. There were six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and of silver 



THE PEOPLE PUT AWAY THEIR HEATHEN WIVES. 



431 



vessels a hundred talents, and of gold a hundred talents. Also twenty 
basins of gold, of a thousand drachms, and two vessels of fine copper, as 
precious as gold. 

And Ezra said to the priests, Ye are holy unto the Lord; the vessels 
are holy also, and the silver and gold is a free-will offering unto the Lord 
God of your fathers. Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them be- 
fore the priests and the Levites in the temple at Jerusalem. 

So the priests and the Levites took the silver and gold, and the vessels, 
to bring them to the temple. And on the twelfth day of the first month, 




THE PEOrLE BOWING OD WEEPIKG. 

Ezra and all the people who were with him, left the river Ahava to go to 
Jerusalem. And God was with them, and He kept them safe from all 
their enemies. And they came to Jerusalem and rested for three davs. 

On the fourth day, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, which they had 
brought with them, were again weighed in the temple, and given to the 
priests and Levites. And all the people who came from Babylon with 
Ezra, offered burnt-offerings to the Lord. And Ezra gave the king's let- 
ter to the governor of that part of the country, and they helped the Jews 
in all things as the kine had commanded. 



432 THE PEOPLE PUT AWAY THEIR HEATHEN WIVES. 

Now after this, some of the princes came to Ezra, and told him that 
many of the people were taking heathen wives. God did not wish them 
to do this, as He desired them not to mix with the heathen nations. So 
Ezra called the people together, and told them what a great sin it was for 
them to do, as they were doing. And as Ezra showed them the wicked- 
ness of which they were guilty, they bowed themselves to the ground be- 
fore the Lord, and wept greatly. And they promised that they 
would put away all their heathen wives, and not sin in this manner any 
more. 



For Older Boys and Girls. 



Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah. 

The story of Daniel is one of the most cheering, animating and inter- 
esting and instructive narratives to be found in the Old Testament. 

We have portrayed a youth who kept fast his integrity amid the most 
pressing temptations. As he went from one position of trust and respon- 
sibility to another, he was the same unspoiled, unbending servant of the 
most high God. 

Ruling as Prime Minister, or Secretary of State, Secretary of the In- 
terior and Secretary of the Treasury, he was diligent, faithful, earnest, 
honest and prayerful. 

No bribe ever touched his hand, no religious duty went unperformed 
because of the weight of official cares. He is the model Statesman, and 
an ever standing rebuke to the half sneer that "religion has nothing to do with 
politics." He did not carry his politics into his religion, but he did carry his 
religion into his politics. True as steel to his convictions, we see how sig- 
nally God honored and preserved him. 

Ezra and Nehemiah are joined together, although the distinct story of 
Nehemiah comes a little later on. 

Ezra is the prince of faithful preachers, standing up in the first re- 
corded pulpit to proclaim the law of God. 

Nehemiah comes before us as Builder, Captain, Statesman, and Re- 
former. He was full of wisdom, zeal, discretion, tact and determination. 

He was chivalrous in spirit and bold in execution. He was a model 
Mayor, executing the laws of Jerusalem with fidelity against the law 
breakers. 



THE STORY OF ESTHER. 433 

Esther is made Queer 




Esther i-xi. 521-519 B. C. 

N the third year of his reign, Ahasuerus, king of Persia, 
made a great feast for all his princes and nobles. After 
this feast was ended, he made another feast for the people, 
in the court or garden of the palace. Around this court, 
curtains of white and green and blue were hung to pillars 
of marble, by means of fine linen cords and silver rings. 
The couches were of gold and silver, and the pavement was 
made of red, and blue, and white and black marble. Those who had been 
asked to the feast drank out of vessels of gold ; and there was an abund- 
ance of the king's wine for the people to drink. Yet no one was made to 
drink the wine who did not want it. Vashti, the queen, also made a feast 
for the women in the king's palace. 

On the seventh day of the king's feast, when his heart was made mer- 
ry with drinking wine, he commanded his servants to bring Vashti before 
him, with the royal crown upon her head, that he might show her beauty 
to the princes and the people; for she was fair to look upon. But Queen 
Vashti refused to come, as the king commanded, because she thought it 
was not proper to do so, therefore the king was very angry. 

And he said to his wise men, What shall we do to Queen Vashti, be- 
cause she has not obeyed my commandment? And one of the wise men 
said, Vashti, the queen, hath done wrong not to the king only, but also to 
all the princes, and to all the people that are in the provinces of King 
Ahasuerus. For, this deed of the queen will become known to all the 
women, so that they will despise their husbands, when it shall be told 
them that the King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti to be brought in before 
him, but she would not come. Now let another woman be the queen, and 
let the king make a decree that all wives shall honor their husbands. This 
advice pleased the king, and he put away Vashti, and made the decree. 

Now all the Jews had not gone back to Jeru- 
salem, but some of them still lived in Persia. And 
one of them, named Mordecai, was in the king's 
palace at Shushan. Mordecai had a cousin, named 
Esther, who was fair and beautiful, and whose 
father and mother were dead. When they died, 
Mordecai took Esther to his own home, and brought 
her up as his own daughter. Now the king had 
made a decree throughout the land, that the fairest 

maidens should be gathered together,that the king might select a queen from 

27 




434 HAMAN PLOTS TO DESTROY THE JEWS. 

them at Shushan. Esther was brought there also, and given, with the 
others, into the care of Hegai, the keeper of the women. 

A»nd Esther pleased Hegai, and he was kind to her, and gave her all 
the things she needed. He gave her also seven maidens to wait upon her; 
and he gave her and her maidens the best place in the house of the wom- 
en. But Esther did not make known that she belonged to the Jewish 
people, for Mordecai had told her not to do so. 

When it was Esther's turn, she was taken before the king. And when 
the king saw her, he loved her more than all the other maidens, so that he 
set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 
Then the king made a great feast, called Esther's feast, for his princes and 
servants, and gave gifts to them. And Esther still obeyed the command- 
ment of Mordecai, as she did when she was brought up by him, as his own 
daughter. 

In those days, while Mordecai was in the king's palace, two of the 
king's officers became angry with the king, and they made a plot to lay 
hands on him, and kill him. But the plot became known to Mordecai, 
and he told Esther about it, and Esther told the king in Mordecai's name. 
And when inquiry was made, the two officers were found guilty, and they 
were both hanged. And it was written in the book of the Chronicles be- 
fore the kinor 



Hamai Plots to Destroy the Jews. 




Esthei' iii-iv. jio B. C. 

FTER these things, King Arjasuerus set a man, named 
S Haman, above all the princes that were with him. And 



S all the king's servants, who were by the king's gate, 
bowed to Haman, for the king had so commanded. 
But Mordecai would not bow before him. Then the 
king's servants said to Mordecai, Why dost thou disobey the king's com- 
mandment? And when they spoke daily to him for some time, and he 
would not pay any attention to them, they told Haman of it, because they 
wanted to see what would be done to Mordecai, for he had told them that 
he was a Jew. 

And when Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow to him, was full 
of anger. But he did not want to take revenge on Mordecai alone, but he 
wished to destroy all the Jews, with Mordecai, that were in the kingdom 
of Ahasuerus. 

And Haman said to the king, There are some people who are here and 
there among the people of thy kingdom, that have laws that are different 
from those of other people. And they do not keep the king's laws; there- 



THE STORY OF ESTHER. 



435 




THE MEN BOWING BEFORE HAMAN. 



fore the king should not suffer them to live. If it please the king, let it 

be written that they may be destroyed, and I 
will pay ten thousand talents into the king's 
treasury. 

And the king took his ring from his finger, 
and gave it to Hainan, to seal the decree. And 
the king said to him, The silver is given to 
thee, and those people also, to do with them 
just as is pleasing to thee. 

Then Haman told the king's scribes to 
write a decree, that all the Jews, both young 
and old, little children and women, should all 
be killed, in one day, — upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, and 
that their property might be taken by those who killed them. 

This decree was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed 
with his ring. And copies of it were sent by messengers to all the gov- 
ernors and rulers of the provinces. And the messengers went out quickly, 
as they were commanded. This decree was made known in Shushan also 
where Mordecai and Esther were. And in the city of Shushan there was 
great distress among the Jews. 

When Mordecai heard of all that was done, he rent his clothes, and 
put on sackcloth, and went out in the midst of the city, and cried with a 
loud and bitter cry. He came even before the king's gate, though no one 
who was clothed in sackcloth, was allowed to 
go through there. And in every province 
where the king's decree had been taken, there 
was great mourning among the Jews, and fast- 
ing, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay 
down in sackcloth and ashes. 

But Queen Esther had not heard of the de- 
cree; and when her maids told her what Mor- 
decai had done, she was very much grieved, 
and sent to him other garments to put on, in 
place of those he had torn. And she sent word 
to him, to lay aside the sackcloth. But he refused to do so. 

Then Esther called for Hatach (Ha-tak), one of the king's officers who 
waited on her, and told him to go to Mordecai and ask him what caused 
his grief. So Hatach went out to Mordecai, whom he found in the street 
before the king's gate, and asked him what his trouble was. Then Mor- 
decai told him of all that had taken place, and of the sum of money that 
Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasury, if the king would let 
the Jews be put to death. Mordecai also gave Hatach a copy of the de- 




MORDECAI IN SACKCLOTH. 



43 6 



HAMAN PLOTS TO DESTROY THE JEWS. 



cree, to show the queen, and ne asked him to icll her to go to the king, 
and make application to him in behalf of her people. So Hatach came 
and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 

Then Esther sent Hatach again to Mordecai, to say to him, All the 
king's servants, and all the people know, that whosoever, whether man or 
woman, shall go in before the king without being called, will be put to 
death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre. 
But I have not been called to come unto the king these thirty days. 

And Hatach came and told Mordecai what Esther had said. 

Then Mordecai sent to Esther again, saying, Do not think that thou 




MORDECAI MOURNING AT THE KING S GATE. 



shalt escape in the king's house, any more than any other Jew. But if 
thou shalt not speak to the king at this time, then deliverance shall come 
to the Jews from another place, but thou shalt be put to death. And who 
knoweth, but that thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this — 
to save thy people? 

Then Esther sent back this answer to Mordecai, Go, gather together 
all the Jews that are in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor 
drink for three days, night or day. I also, and my maidens will fast, and 
so I will go in unto the king, although it is not according to law. And if 
I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did all that Esther 
had commanded him to do. 



THE STORY OF ESTHER. 437 

Esther's Approach to the King. 




Esther v. jio B. C 

UT on the third day, Esther put on her royal 
robes, and went and stood in the inner part 
of the king's palace. And the king, sitting 
upon his throne, saw Esther, the queen, 
standing there, and he looked upon her with 
kindness, and held out the golden sceptre 
that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, 
and touched the top of the sceptre. Then 
the king said to her, What wilt thou, Queen 
Esther, and what is thy request? It shall 
be given thee, even to the half of the kingdom. Esther answered, If it 
seem good to the king, let the king and Hainan come this day to the ban- 
quet that I have prepared for them. ^y 

Then the king said to his servants, Cause 
Hainan 'to make haste, that he may do as Es- 
ther has said. So the king and Haman came 
to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 

And while they were at the banquet, the B^2J3B 6?^53l ' III? 
king said to Esther, What is thy petition? It 
shall be granted thee. And what is thy re- 
quest? Even to the half of my kingdom it 
shall be performed. Esther answered, My request is, if I have found 
favor in the sight of the king, let the king and Haman come to the ban- 
quet that I shall prepare for them to-morrow, and then I will make my 
petition known to the king. 

Then Haman went forth that day joyful and with a glad heart, but 
when he saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and that he stood not up, nor 
moved for him, he was full of anger; yet he said nothing to Mordecai. 
But when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh, 
his wife. And Haman told them of his riches and his glory, and how he 
had been placed above all the princes and servants of the king. He said 
also, Yea, Esther, the queen, did let no man come in with the king unto 
the banquet, that she had prepared, except myself. And to-morrow I am 
invited again to go with the king to see her. Yet all this availeth me 
nothing, so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king's gate. 

Then Zeresh, his wife, and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows 
be made, fifty cubits high, and to-morrow speak thou to the king that 




ESTHER BEFORE THE KING. 



43« 



Esther's approach to the king. 




THE KING HOLDING OUT THE SCEPTRE. 



Mordecai may be hanged thereon. Then go thou in merrily with the 
king to the banquet. This advice pleased Haman, and he caused the gal- 
lows to be made. 



^-^§gP^ 



THE STORY OF ESTHER. 



439 



Hamah is Hakged. 




Esther vi-vii. 510 B. C. 

N that night the king could not sleep, and he commanded 
his servants to bring to him the book in 
which was written the records. And they 
brought it and read it to the king. And it 
was found written in the book, that Morde- 
cai had made known the plot of the two 
officers who had sought to kill the king. 
And the king said, What honor and dignity- 
hath been done to Mordecai for this? The 
king's servants answered, There has been 
nothing done for him. 
And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Hainan had just come 

into the outer court 

of the palace, to 

speak to the king 

about hanging 

Mordecai on the 

gallows which Ha- 
inan had prepared 

for him. 

And the king's 

servants said, Be- 
hold, Hainan stand- 

eth in the court. 

The king said, Let 

him come in. 

So Hainan came 

in. And the king 

said to him, What 

shall be done to the 

man whom the king 

delisrhteth to hon- 



or? N 



Ha 



thought in his heart, 
To whom would 
the king delight to 
do honor more than 
to myself? And he 




HAMAN PROCLAIMING THE HONOR OF MORDECAI. 



44o 



HAMAN IS HANGED. 



said to the king, Let the royal garments be brought, which the king 

wears, and the 

horse on which 

he rides, and the 

royal crown that 

is set upon his 

head ; and let 

them be given 

into the hands of 

one of the king's 

most noble 



princes, 



that 



may put 
clothes and 
crown upon 
man whom 
king wishes 




he 

the 

the 

the 

the 
to 
honor. And let 
them set him 
upon the king's 
horse, and lead 
him on horse- 
back through the 
streets of the 

Clly, Cryin & OUt ESTHER RECEIVING THE KING AND HAMAN. 

before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to 
honor. 

Then the king said to Hainan, Make haste, and take the garments and 
the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai, the Jew, who 
sitteth at the king's gate. Let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. 

Then Haman took the garments and put them on Mordecai, and he 
set him on the king's horse, and led him on horseback through the streets 
of the city, crying out before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom 
the king- delighteth to honor. 

After this Mordecai came again to the king's gate; but Haman hast- 
ened to his own house mourning, with his head covered. And he told 
Zeresh, his wife, and all his friends everything that had happened to him. 

Then his wise men and his wife said to him, If Mordecai belongs to 
the Jewish race, and thou hast begun to fall before him, thou wilt not be 
able to prevail against him. While they were yet talking with him, one 
of the king's officers came to bring Haman to the banquet, which Esther 
had prepared. 



THE STORY OF ESTHER. 



441 



■1- VI 




So the king and Haman came to the banquet of Esther, the queen. 

And the king said again to Esther, What is 
thy petition, Queen Esther? and it shall be 
granted thee; and what is thy request? for 
it shall be performed, even to the half of 
the kingdom. 

Then Esther answered, If I have found 
favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please 
the king, let my life be given me at my pe- 
tition, and the lives of my people at my re- 

HAMAN BEFORE THE KING AND QUEEN. , XT' 1 J T J 1 

quest, r or we are sold, 1 and my people, 
to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. 

Then King Ahasuerus said, Who is he, and where is he, that has dared 
to do so? Esther said, the enemy is this wick- 
ed Haman. Then Haman was afraid before 
the king and the queen. 

And the king, rising up from the banquet 
in great anger, went into the palace garden; 
but Haman fell down before the queen to beg 
for his life. When the king returned to the 
banqueting hall, he saw Haman fallen down 
before the queen. And one of the king's offi- 
cers said to the king, Behold the gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman 
had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth by 
the house of Haman. The king said, Hang him thereon. So they hanged 
Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. 




HAMAN GOES OUT. 



Permission is Giyen to the Jews to Destroy 

Their Enemies. 



Esther viii-x. yio B. C. 




HEN King Ahasuerus gave the house of 



Haman to 
Queen Esther. And Mordecai came in before the 
king, for Esther had told him that Mordecai was 
her relation, and had brought her up. And the 
kinor took off his ring which he had taken from Ha- 
man, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set 
Mordecai over the house of Haman. 

And Esther came again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and 
begged him with tears in her eyes, to put away the evil which Haman 
had plotted against the Jews. Then the king said to Esther and Morde- 



442 PERMISSION IS GIVEN TO THE JEWS TO DESTROY THEIR ENEMIES. 

cai, Write also a decree for the Jews, as you think best to write, in the 
king's name, and seal it with the king's ring. 

Then all the king's scribes were called together, and Mordecai com- 
manded them to write a decree, giving all the Jews in the kingdom per- 
mission to gather themselves together on the thirteenth day of the twelfth 
month, to defend their lives, and to slay all those who should come against 
them. The decree was written in the king's name, and sealed with the 
king's ring; and Mordecai sent copies of the writing to every province in 
the kingdom by messengers on horseback, and by riders on mules, camels,, 
and young dromedaries. 

So the messengers went out swiftly with the decree. And Mordecai 




THE JEWS REJOICING AT THE DECREE. 



went out from the presence of the king clothed in royal raiment of blue 
and white, and with a crown of gold upon his head. And the city of 
Shushan was full of joy and gladness, and in every province wherever the 
king's decree was sent, the Jews had hope, and gladness, and they feasted 
with joy. And many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear 
of the Jews fell upon them. 

And on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar v 
the Jews gathered themselves together in all the cities, to fight against 
those who tried to do them harm, and they overcame and slew all their 
enemies. And all the rulers of the provinces helped the Jews, because 
they were afraid of Mordecai; for he was great in the king's palace, and 



THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 



443 



he became still greater. So on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month 
the Jews fought against their enemies, and gained the victory over them, 
but on the fourteenth and fifteenth days they rested, and made them days 
of feasting and gladness, and sent presents to one another. And Esther 
and Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews who lived in the kingdom of 
King Ahasuerus, telling them to keep yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth 
days of the twelfth month, as the days when they rested from destroying 
their enemies, and their sorrow and mourning had been turned into joy, 
and that it should be a time of feasting and gladness, and of sending pres- 
ents to one another, and giving gifts to the poor. 



ELehemiah Obtains Consent to Rebuild the 
Walls of Jerusalem. 




Nehemiah i-xi. 446 B. C. 

ND one of the cupbearers of Artaxerxes, the king 
of Persia, was Nehemiah, who w 7 as a Jew 
and a captive. And while he was in Shu- 
shan in the palace, Hanani, one of his 
brothers, and some other men from the land 
of Judah, came to see him. And Nehemiah 
asked them about the Jews who were in 
Judah, and about Jerusalem. They told 
him that tbe Jews there were in great afflic- 
tion and trouble, that the walls of Jerusalem 
were broken down, and the gates of the city 
were burned with fire. 

When Nehemiah heard this, ne sat down and wept, and fasted and 
prayed before the God of heaven, saying, We have greatly sinned against 
thee, and have not kept thy commandments. Thou hast said by Moses 
thy servant, If ye sin, I will scatter you abroad among the nations; but if 
ye turn unto me and keep my commandments, I w r ill gather you again, 
and bring you unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. O 
Lord, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and 
grant him mercy in the sight of the king. 

After this, Nehemiah took in the wine, and gave it to the king; but f or 
the first time Nehemiah looked sad in the presence of the king. There- 
fore the king spoke to him, and said, Why is thy face sad, seeing thou art 
not sick ? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then Nehemiah an- 
swered, Let the king live forever: why should not my face be sad, when 
the city, the place of my father's sepulchres, lieth waste, and its gates are 
consumed with fire? The king said to him, For what dost thou make re- 



444 



NEHEMIAH OBTAINS CONSENT TO REBUILD THE WALLS OF 
JERUSALEM. 



quest? Then Nehemiah prayed silently in his heart to God, before he an- 
swered ; then he said to the king, If it please the king that thou wouldst 
send me unto Judah, that I may build up the city of my father's sepul- 
chres. The king said (the queen was sitting by him), For how long shall 
thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? 

So Nehemiah told him, and the king said that he might go. And Ne- 
hemiah said, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors 
beyond the river, that they may help me to reach the land of Judah; and a 
letter also to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me 




NEHEMI4H ASKING LETTEBS FROM THE KING. 



timber to make beams for the gates and walls of the city. And the king 
did as he asked, for God was with Nehemiah to help him. 

Now the king sent captains of the army and horsemen with Nehemiah, 
to guard him on his journey. And he came to the governors of the prov- 
inces in which the land of Judah was, and gave to them the king's letters. 
And when Sanballat, the Horonite, and Tobiah, the Ammonite, heard that 
Nehemiah had been sent by the king to help the Jews, it grieved them 
very much. So Nehemiah came to Jerusalem, and rested for three days. 

After that, he rose up in the night, and, without telling any one what 
he was going to do, except the few men that were with him ; he went out 
to look at the walls of the city, and he found that they were broken down 
as it had been said, and the gates burned with fire. And Nehemiah came 



THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 



445 



to the people in Jerusalem, and said to them, You see the distress that we 
are in, and how Jerusalem lieth waste. Come, and let us build up the 
city, that we be no more a reproach. 

Then he told the people how God had made the king kind to him, and 
what the king had said. And they said to one another, Let us rise up and 
build. So they took courage and began to build the wall. 



The Samaritans try to Hinder the 
From Building the Wall. 



Jews 



jferemiah iv-v. 445 B. C. 




HEN Sanballat, having heard that the Jews had begun to 
build the wall, was very angry, and mocked them. And 
he spoke to others of the Samaritans, saying, What do 
these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will 
they find stones in the heaps of rubbish that are burned? 
Then Tobias, who was with Sanballat, answered, Even 
that which they build, if a fox go up on it, he would break down their 
stone wall. But the builders prayed to God, saying, Hear, O our God, for 
We are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own heads. 

So the Jews went on building the wall, until they had raised it to half 
its intended height all around the city, and joined the two ends together; 
for the people had a mind to work. When Sanballat, and Tobiah, and 
the Ammonites, and other enemies of the Jews, heard that so much of the 
wall was built, they came together in secret, 
and made a plot to fight against the Jews. And 
they said among themselves, The Jews shall 
not know, neither see, till we come upon them, 
and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 
But the Jews found out what their enemies 
thought to do, therefore Nehemiah set men be- 
hind the wall with their swords, their spears, 
and their bows. And he said to them, Be not 
afraid of them; remember the Lord who is 
great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, vour sons, your daughters, 
your wives, and your houses. 

And when their enemies heard that the Jews knew of their plans, and 
had made ready to fight them, they let the Jews alone for that time. But 
after that, Nehemiah kept a half only of the men of Israel at work on the 
wall, while the other half kept watch with spears, shields, and bows ; and 
even those who were building had their arms at hand, so that they could 




446 THE SAMARITANS TRY TO HINDER THE JEWS FROM BUILDING 

THE WALL. 



have them to use in case of need. Nehemiah also kept a trumpet by his 
side, ready to sound the alarm ; and he said ..^.gd^A 

to the rulers and to the people, The work is 
great and long, and we are separated on the 
wall far from one another. In what place, 
therefore, ye hear the sound of the trumpet, 
come together there, for our God will fight 
for us. So half of the men labored at the 
work, and half kept watch from early 
morning till the stars appeared. And Ne- 
hemiah commanded all the people to sleep 
in the city, and neither he, nor the men who were with him, took off their 
clothes at any time, except when they had them washed. 

About this time the poor Jews made a great complaint against the rich ; 




NEHEMIAH BUILDING THE WALLS. 




SOUNDING THE ALARM WHILE BUILDING. 

for they said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many, and we have 
had to mortgage our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might borrow 
money to buy corn, and to pay the king's tribute. Our children are as 
dear to us, as the children of the rich are to them, yet we are forced to 



THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 



447 



sell our children for slaves, neither is it in our power to buy them back 
again, for the rich men have our lands and vineyards. When Nehemiah 
heard these complaints he was angry, and he reproved the princes and the 
rulers before all the people, and said to them, Restore, I pray you, to your 
brethren, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their houses, also the 
corn, the wine, and the oil, that you took from them. Then the princes 
and rulers said to him, We will restore them; we will take nothing from 
them ; we will do as thou sayest. Then Nehemiah called the priests, and 
made the princes and rulers take an oath, that they would do as they had 
promised. 

The Wall is Finished ahd Dedicated. 




Nehemiah vi-vii. 445 B. C. 

iND when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and others of the 
enemies of the Jews, heard how much of 
the wall had been built, they sent to Nehe- 
miah, saying, Come, let us meet in one of 
the villages in the plain of Ono. But Ne- 
hemiah knew that they simply wanted to do 
him some hurt; so he sent messengers to 
them, saying, I am doing a great work, so 
that I cannot come down. Why should the 
work cease, while I leave it, to come down 
to you? But they sent to him four times, 
asking him to come, but Nehemiah always sent back the same answer. 

Then Sanballat sent his servant, the fifth time, to Nehemiah, with an 
open letter in his hand; and in the letter was written, It is said that thou 
and the Jews think to rebel, for this reason thou art building the wall, that 
thou mayest be their king. And now, what has been said shall be told to 
the king. Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together. 

Nehemiah sent back word to him, saying, There are no such things 
done as thou sayest, but thou makest them up in thine own heart. And 
Nehemiah, knowing that his enemies wanted to make him afraid, so that 
he might stop the work, prayed to the Lord, saying, O God, strengthen 
my hands. 

After that, Shemaiah, who pretended that he had been sent by the 
Lord, came to Nehemiah, and said to him, Let us meet together in the 
house of God, and shut the doors, for thy enemies will come to slay thee; 
yea, in the night they will come to kill thee. 

But Nehemiah answered, Should such a man as I flee? Who is there, 
that being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not 



448 EZRA TEACHES THE LAW TO THE PEOPLE. 

go in. For Nehemiah saw that God had not sent Shemaiah, but that San- 
ballat and Tobiah had sent this lying man to try and persuade him to hide 
himself in the temple. 

And Nehemiah prayed that the evil designs of Sanballat and Tobiah 
might not succeed. 

At length, after fifty-two days, the wall was finished, and the heathen 
people round about were much cast down, for they saw that God helped 
in the work. 

After the wall was built, Nehemiah and all the people dedicated it. 
And Nehemiah made Hanani, his brother, and Hananiah, who was the 
ruler of the palace, rulers over the city. And he commanded them, say- 
ing, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and let 
them be shut and barred at night. Set watchmen also upon the walls, 
every one taking his turn there. 



Ezra Teaches the Law to the People. 



Nehemiah viii. 445 B. C. 

|g|iRSI^fi | : J ND all the people gathered themselves together as one 
|^)JRj|'|^? |' man, on the first day of the seventh month, and they 
I -"^llSli^i asked Ezra, the priest, to bring the book of the law of 
|i^^«i^H^g|i Moses. Then Ezra brought the book, and read out of 
'^^H^P^^ it to the men, the women, and children, from morning 
till noon. While Ezra read, he stood upon a pulpit of 
wood; and he opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was 
above them all); and when he opened it they all stood up. And Ezra 
prayed to the Lord, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen. And 
they bowed their heads, and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the 
ground. And the priests and Levites went among the people to explain 
what was read to them. 

And the priests and the Levites who taught the people, said to them, 
This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all 
the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. And the Levites 
also said to the people, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and 
send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared. 

Then all the people went their way to eat, and drink, and send portions 
to the poor. And they were glad, because they had understood the words 
that were read to them out of the law. 

And on the second day the people came to Ezra again, that they might 
learn more about the law. And they found written in the book, that the 
Lord commanded them to live in booths during the feast of tabernacles, 



THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 



449 




EZRA READING THE LAW. 



which was to be kept that same month. And the command was given in 

the book, for the people to go into the moun- 
tain, and bring olive branches, and pine branch- 
es, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, to 
make booths. 

So the people went and brought branches, 
and made themselves booth upon the roofs of 
their houses, and in their courts, and in the 
courts of the temple, and in the streets of the 
city. And all the people lived in booths; and 
there was very great gladness. For seven days 
they kept the feast. And every day, from the first day to the last, Ezra 
read out of the book of the law of God. 

And on the twenty-fourth day of the month the people came together 
again to hold a fast. And they put on sackcloth, and sprinkled themselves 
with earth. And they confessed their sins, and worshiped the Lord their 
God. 

Then some of the Levites stood up and cried with a loud voice to the 
Lord, and prayed, saying, Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone. Thou didst 
lead thy people up out of the land of Egypt, and give them laws from 
Mount Sinai. Thou didst give bread from heaven, and didst bring water 
for them out of the rock. Thou didst lead 
them into the land which thou hadst prom- 
ised to give them. But they were disobedi- 
ent, and rebelled against thee, therefoie thou 
didst deliver them into the hand of their en- 




THE ISRAELITES DELIVERED INTO THE 
HANDS OP THEIR ENEMIES. 



emies. 

Nevertheless thou didst not utterly con- 
sume them, for thou art a gracious and a 
merciful God. Thou art just and hast done 
right, but we have done wickedly. Behold, 
we are servants this day, in the land which 
thou gavest to our fathers, and it yieldeth much increase unto the kings 
whom thou hast set over us, because of our sins. They also have rule 
over us, and over our cattle, and we are in great distress. And because of 
all this we make a sure covenant with Thee to serve Thee, and we sign it, 
and our princes, Levites, and priests sign it also. 

Then Nehemiah, the governor, and some of the priests and Levites 
and many of the chief men of the people, signed the writing which had 
been made. And the people solemnly promised before the Lord, that they 
would do all his commandments, that they would keep themselves apart 

from the heathen people of the land, and would not take any of their 

28 



45° 



EZRA TEACHES THE LAW TO THE PEOPLE. 



women for wives. They promised also to keep the holy law of the Sab- 
bath, to provide the things necessary for the worship of God at the tem- 
ple, and to bring a tenth part of the produce of their fields to the priests 
and Levites. 

After this, Nehemiah went back to the king of Persia, but after a time 
he received the king's permission to return to Jerusalem again. And when 
he came there, he found that the people had not kept the promises which 




gmmmBs 



WORKING THE WINE PRE«SES ON THE SABBATH. 



they had made. They no longer brought a tenth part of their produce to 
the priests and Levites, so that the Levites had been compelled to go out 
into the fields to work, that they might get food for themselves. Then 
Nehemiah reproved the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God for- 
saken? And he gathered the priests and Levites together again, and set 
them in their places in the temple. And he caused the people to bring in 
again the tenth part of their produce to the priests and Levites. 



THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. 



451 




THE SABBATH BREAKERS WITH THE 
SHEAVES OF GRAIN. 



J! 



Ana Nehemiah saw some of the people working their wine-presses on 
the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves of grain, 
and loading their asses; they also brought 
wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, 
into the city on the Sabbath day. And some 
men of Tyre, who lived in the city, brought in 
fish and other wares on that day, and sold them 
to the Jews in Jerusalem. Then Nehemiah re- 
proved the rulers, saying, What evil thing is 
this that ye do, to profane the Sabbath day? 
Did not your fathers do so, and did not our 
God bring evil upon us, and upon this city, because they did such things? 
And on the evening before the Sabbath, when it began to be dark, 
Nehemiah commanded that the gates of the 
city should be shut, and that they should not 
be opened again until after the Sabbath. And 
he set some of his own servants at the gates, 
to keep any one from bringing in burdens on 
the Sabbath day. When those men, who came 
to the city to sell fish and other things on the 
Sabbath, found that the gates were shut, they 
stayed outside of the city until the next morn- 
ing. This they did for one or two Sabbaths. 
Then Nehemiah said to them, Why lodge ye about the wall? If ye do so 
again, I will lay hands on you. So they went away, and from that time 
they came no more on the Sabbath. 

And Nehemiah saw that some of the Jews had married heathen wives, 
and that their children spoke, one half of them in the heathen language, 
and the other half in the Jews' language ; and these Jews wanted others 
to do as they had done. Nehemiah made them promise that they would 
do so no more; and he said to them, Did not Solomon sin in this manner? 
Among many nations there was no king like him, yet heathen women 
caused him to sin. Shall we then hearken unto you to do this evil, and 
sin against God by marrying heathen wives? 




THE PEOPLE BUYING ON THE SABBATH. 




45 



THE PROPHECIES OF MALACHI. 



The Prophecies of Malachi. 



Malachi i-iv. jgy B, C. 

OON after Nehemiah had returned the second time 
from Persia, the prophet Malachi delivered his 
prophecies to the Jewish people. 

He showed them how God was the loving father 
and ruler of His people, that He was the supreme 
God and Father of all, and that He was their right- 
eous and final Judge. 

He told the people that they must not rob God by refusing to pay their 
tithes into the storehouse of the Lord. He said, The Lord would open the 
windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon them, so there should 
not be room enough to contain it, if they would pay to the Lord what was 
His due. 

He told them that the messenger of the Lord, who was Christ, would 






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BL f fli5S«rifl9)S 


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fell m| H^feSi 








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Ijm^^^^ggSlg&ySslK 




^HfP 



A REFINER AND PURIFIER OF SILVER. 



come, in due time, and that He would sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, 
and would purify His people as gold and silver. He told them that God 
would send the prophet Elijah — that is, one like Elijah — before the Mes- 
siah should come. This prophet, he said, would turn the hearts of the 
fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers. This 
prophet was John the Baptist, who, nearly four hundred years afterwards,. 



THE PROPHECIES OF MALACHI. 



453 



came to point out Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, that taketh away the 
sin of the world. 



For Older Boys ahd Girls. 



AS we now come to the close of the story of the Old Testament, we 
see very clearly the great truth of God in history. We see how His 
divine hand was leading and guiding His chosen people, all the time 
of their wandering and captivity, and how His overruling Providence 
was bringing good out of evil. 

We have learned that although He is a God of justice, He is a God of 
love, always forgiving the penitent soul, and bestowing upon it the marks 
of His favor. 

We are therefore led to call with David, the Royal Psalmist, upon 




PRAISE HIM ALL YE CEDARS. 



everything to praise the Lord. We can join with him in singing, Praise 
Him all ye cedars. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. 

But more especially we are to praise Him, that we are now about to 
read the story of the New Testament. A higher dispensation of God's 
truth and love and mercy is there given us in the Life and Death of Our 
Divine Lord and Savior Jesus Christ than in the Old Testament. 

All the types and shadows and prophecies are fulfilled in Him. He is the 
One full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the 
sins of the whole world. The ark is forever gone, the Temple has for- 
ever disappeared, the sacrifices of smoking bird and beast are forever 
ended, because of His complete atonement and finished work. 



454 



THE PROPHECIES OF MALACHI. 



Thanks b e 
unto God for 
His unspeakable 
gift. 

We can lift 
up our hearts 
and voices in 
praise to God, 
even as David 
and the sweet 
singers of Israel 
whom he led in 
worship, could 
not lift up their 
hearts and voices 
in those days of 
old. For the 
King of kings, 
great David's 
greater Son, has 
come among 
men, and we 
have beheld His 
glory, the glory 
as of the only 
Begotten of the 
Father, full of 
grace and truth. 




ST EVERYTHING THAT HATH BREATH TRAISE THE LORD. 




HI 




TTHEE! 





45 S 




THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 459 

The Birth of Johh the Baptist. 

Luke i. 

NE) now the long expected time had come for 
the appearing of Christ. And in the days 
when Herod was king of Judea, there lived 
a priest named Zacharias. And he had a 
wife whose name was Elizabeth. They 
were both righteous before God, and obeyed 
all His commandments. But the}' were both 
old, and had never had any children. 

One day, it was Zacharias' turn to burn 
incense upon the golden altar that was in the 
temple of the Lord, and the people were in 
the court of the temple, praying to God. While Zacharias was burning 
incense, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side 
of the altar of incense. 

When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled and afraid. But the 
angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy 
wife Elizabeth shall have a son, and thou shalt call his name John. He 
shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor 
strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. 
Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God ; and 
he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts 
of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the 
just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 

And Zacharias said to the angel, Whereby shall I know this? The 
angel answered, I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God, and am 
sent to tell thee these glad tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and 
unable to speak, until the day when these things shall be done, because 
thou believest not my words. 

And the people, who were waiting for Zacharias to come out of the 
temple, wondered why he stayed there so long. And when he came out, 
he could not speak to them ; and they saw that he had seen a vision in the 
temple, for he made signs to them that it was so. And as soon as the 
time that he had to serve at the temple was ended, he went to his own 
house. 

Six months afterward, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, to the 
city of Nazareth, in Galilee, to a young woman named Mary, a descend- 
ant of King David. Her husband's name was Joseph, and he was by 
trade a carpenter. And the angel came to Mary, and said to her, Hail, 
thou that art highly favored; blessed art thou among women. 




THE ANGEL APPEARING TO ZACHARIAS. 



460 



THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 461 

When Mary saw the angel, she was troubled, and wondered why he 
had spoken these words to her. But he said to her, Fear not, Mary, for 
thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt have a son, and 
shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the 
Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of 
his father David. He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of 
his kingdom there shall be no end. Thy cousin Elizabeth also, is going 
to have a son, for God has promised it. 

And Mary said to the angel, Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; 
be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel left her. After this, 
Mary went in haste to a city in the land of Judah, and came to the house 
of Zacharias and Elizabeth. And she and her cousin Elizabeth rejoiced 
together, because of the good news that the angel Gabriel had told them. 
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her 
own home. 

And God gave a son to Zacharias and Elizabeth, as He had promised 
them. And on the eighth day after the birth of the child, their neighbors 
and relations came together, to give it a name. And they called him 
Zacharias, after the name of his father. 

But his mother said, Not so: he shall be called John. They said to 
her, There is no one of thy kindred called by this name. And they made 
signs to his father, asking what name should be given, him. Zacharias 
asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they 
all wondered. 

And as soon as Zacharias had written these words, his speech came to 
him again, and he spoke and praised God. 
And all the things that were done, became 
known to all the people round about; and 
those that heard of them, said, What manner 
of child shall this be? 

And Zacharias was filled with the Holy 
Spirit, and prophesied of the coming Savior, 
who was going to redeem His people from 
their sins. And the Lord was with the child, 
and he grew, and became strong in spirit, and 
he lived in the wilderness, until he came forth as John the Baptist, to 
preach to the people. 







ZACHARIAS WRITING. 



462 THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 



AN ANGEL TELLS THE SHEPHERDS THAT 
CHRIST IS BORN. 



The Birth of Christ. Ah Ahgel, tells the 
Shepherds that Christ is Borh 




Luke ii. 
N those days, Augustus Cesar, the emperor of Rome, made a 
decree that all the Jews should be enrolled, (the Jews, at that 
time, being under the rule of the Romans). Therefore every 
one went to his own country, where his fathers had lived, so 
that his name might be written down there by the Roman offi- 
cers. And Joseph, with Mary his wife, went out of the city of 
Nazareth in Galilee, where they lived, to Bethlehem, the city of David, 
because they were descendants of King David. When they came to Beth- 
lehem, they were obliged to lodge in a stable, for there was no room for 
them in the inn. 

And while they were there, God gave to Mary the son which the 
angel Gabriel had promised her. And she 
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid 
him in a manger. 

And there were shepherds in the field, keep- 
ing watch over their flocks by night. And the 
angel of the Lord came down to them, and the 
glory of the Lord shone round about them, 
and they were very much afraid. 

But the angel said to them, Fear not, for I 
bring you good tidings of great joy, which 
shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, 
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; Ye 
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. 
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly 
host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth 
peace, good will toward men. 

And when the angels had gone away from them up to heaven, the 
shepherds said one to another, Let us go now to Bethlehem, and see this 
thing that has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us. 

And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe 
lying in a manger. And when they had seen the child, they went out and 
made known in the city what the angel had told them about the babe. 

And all those who heard of it, wondered at these things. And the 
shepherds went back to their flocks again, praising God for all the things 
which they had heard and seen. 

On the eighth day after the birth of the child, his parents had him cir- 




BETHLEUEM. 




MARY, THE MOTHER OF CHRIST. 




THE WORSHIP OF THE THREE WISE MEN. 



466 THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS. THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS. 

cumcised, and they called His name JESUS, as the angel had told them. 
After this, they took Him to the temple at Jerusalem, to present Him to 
the Lord, and to offer up a sacrifice of two turtle doves, or two young 
pigeons. 

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon. He 
was a just man, and loved and obeyed God. And he was waiting for the 
coming of Jesus, for it had been made known to him by the Holy Spirit, 
that he should not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And Simeon 
was told by the Spirit to go into the temple; and when Joseph and Mary 
brought in the child Jesus, Simeon took Him up in his arms, and blessed 
God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for 
mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the 
face of all people. 

And there was a woman, named Anna, a prophetess, who was a widow 
eighty-four years old. She lived near by the temple, so that she might 
worship God there, day and night. And coming into the temple while 
the child Jesus was there, she also gave great thanks because she had seen 
Him. Then she went out, and spoke of Him to all those who were looking 
for His coming. 

The Slaughter of the Innocents. The 
Childhood of Jesus. 



Matt, ii; Luke ii. 

OW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem 
of Judea, in the day of Herod the king, 
behold, there came wise men from the 
east, to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He 
that is born king of the Jews, for we 
have seen His star in the east, and are 
come to worship Him. When Herod, 
the king, heard that the wise men were 
asking where Jesus was to be found, and 
that they called Him King of the Jews, he 
was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 
Therefore he called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, 
and asked them where Christ should be born. They answered, In Beth- 
lehem of Judea, for so it had been foretold by the prophet. 

Then Herod sent for the wise men, and asked them at what time the 
star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search 
diligently for the young child, and when you have found Him, bring me 
word, that I may come and worship Him also. 





THE PRESENTATION' OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. 



JESUS IN THE TEMPLE WITH THE DOCTORS OR TEACHERS. 



469 




After they had heard what the king said, they departed and went on 
their way toward Bethlehem. And as they 
were going, the star which they had seen in 
the east, appeared to them again, and went be- 
fore them until it came and stood over the 
place where the young child was. When the 
wise men saw the star, they rejoiced with great 
joy. 

And when they were come into the house 
over which the star stood, they saw the young 
child with Mary His mother, and they bowed the emperor tiberius caesar. 
down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, 
they gave Him gifts of gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to 
Herod, they went back to their own country by another way. 

After the wise men had gone away, an angel of the Lord appeared to 
Joseph, and said to him, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, 
and flee into Egypt, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him. 
Then Joseph arose in the night, and took Jesus and His mother, and went 
into Egypt. 

When Herod saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, he was 
very angry, and he sent out his soldiers, and slew all the children in Beth- 
lehem, that were two years old or younger. 

But when Herod was dead, the angel appeared to Joseph again, and 
said, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and go into the land 
of Israel, for they are dead who sought the young child's life. So Joseph 
brought Jesus and His mother back into the land of Israel again, and they 
came and lived in the city of Nazareth, for the prophets had foretold that 
Jesus should be called a Nazarene'. 



Jesus in the Temple with the Doctors or 

Teachers. 



Luke ii. 




it not. 



ND the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem every year to 
attend the feast of the passover; and when Jesus was 
twelve years old, he went with them. After the feast 
was over, Joseph and Mary started to return home in 
company with many of their friends and relations, but 
Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and his parents knew 
When they stopped at night, they looked for Jesus among the 



47° 



THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION OF JESUS. 



company, for they supposed He was there, but they could not find Him. 
Then they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him, and on the third day 
they found Him at the temple talking with the doctors, both hearing them 
and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at 
His wisdom and answers. 

When His parents saw Him, His mother said to Him, Son,why hast thou 
thus dealt with us? Thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. Jesus 
answered, How is it that ye sought me? Do you not know that I must 
be about my father's business? But His parents did not understand His 
meaning. And Jesus went back with His parents to Nazareth, and was 
obedient to them. And He grew in stature and wisdom, and was in favor 
with God and man. 



The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus. 




Matt, iii-iv ; Mark i; Luke iii-iv ; yohn i. 

ND in those days John the Baptist came into the coun- 
try near Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, 
and saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at 
hand. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and he 
wore a leather girdle about his waist; and his food was 
locusts and wild honey. And a great multitude of people came to hear 
him, and many were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their 
sins. Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees 
also came to him, and when he saw them, he 
said to them, Who hath warned you to flee 
from the wrath to come? Bring forth, there- 
fore fruits meet for repentance. 

And John spoke to the people about him, 
and said, I, indeed, baptize you with water, but 
He that cometh after me is greater than I; He 
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
with fire. Then Jesus came from Nazareth to 
Jordan that he might be baptized by John. But John did not wish to 
baptize Him, and said, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest 
thou to me? Jesus answered, Suffer it to be so now, for thus it is right 
for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then John baptized him. And Jesus, 
after being baptized, came up out of the water and prayed. And the 
heavens were opened above Him, and the Spirit of God descended in the 
shape of a dove and lighted upon Him. And there came a voice from 
heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. 
And at this time Jesus was about thirty years of age. 




NAZABETH. 




Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? 



CHRIST TURNS WATER INTO WINE. CHRIST AND NICODEMUS. 473 

Then was Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by 
the devil. And He stayed in the wilderness forty days and forty nights 
without eating anything; but he fasted, and prayed to God. Afterward 
He became hungry. 

And Satan came to Him and said, If thou art the Son of God, com- 
mand that these stones be made bread. Jesus answered, Man shall not 
live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Then Satan brought 
Jesus to Jerusalem, and placed Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said 
to Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He 
shall give His angels charge over thee, and in their hands they shall bear 
thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. But Jesus 
said, It is also written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 

Then Satan took Jesus up on to a high mountain, and showed Him all 
the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. And he said to Him, 
All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 
Jesus answered, Get thee behind me, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt 
worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then Satan 
left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto Him. 



Christ Turks Water into Wine. Christ and 

Kicodemus. 



yohn i-iii. 




ND after this, Jesus went back to the river Jordan, where 
John was baptizing. When John saw Him, he said, 
Behold, the Lamb of God. And two of John's disci- 
ples, hearing what he said, followed Jesus. Jesus saw 
them following Him, and said to them, What seek ye? 
They answered, Master, where dwellest thou? 
Jesus said, Come and see. 

Then they went with Him to the place where he dwelt. One of these 
men, whose name was Andrew, brought his brother Simon Peter, also. 

On the next day, as Jesus was going into Galilee, He saw a man named 
Philip, and He said to him, Follow Me. Then Philip went and brought 
Nathaniel to Jesus. So Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathaniel followed 
Jesus, and became His disciples. 

And there was a marriage in Cana, a city of Galilee. The mother of 
Jesus w r as there, and both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the mar- 
riage. And when they were out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 
They have no wine. 

And she said to the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it 



474 THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 

Now there were standing there six stone waterpots, which were used to 
hold water. Jesus said to the servants, Fill the water-pots with water. 
And they rilled them up to the brim. Jesus said to them, Draw out now, 
and bear to the ruler of the feast. And they did so. 

When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, 
he called the bridegroom, and said to him, Every man at the beginning 
doth set forth good wine, and after men have well drunk, then that, which 
is worse ; but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 

This was the first miracle that Jesus did to show forth His glory, and 
His disciples believed on Him. 

Now the feast of the passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jeru- 
salem. And when He came to the temple He found those who sold oxen 
and sheep and doves, and the changers of money, carrying on their busi- 
ness in the outer courts. And when He had made a scourge of small 
cords, He drove them all out, and the sheep, and the oxen. He also 
poured out the changers' money, and overthrew their tables. And He 
said to them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not My 
Father's house a house of merchandise. And while He was at the feast, 
many believed in His name when they saw the miracles which He did. 

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the 
Jews. He came to Jesus by night, and said to Him, Master, we know 
that thou art a teacher sent from God, for no man can do these miracles 
that thou doest* unless God be with him. Jesus said unto him, Verily I 
say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of 
God. Aiad as Moses lifted up the serpent in, the wilderness, even so must 
the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not 
perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave 
His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life. 

The Death of John the Baptist. 



Matt, xtv/ Mark vi. 

T that time, Herod, the son of the Herod who slew the 
little children of Bethlehem, heard of the fame of Jesus. 
And he said to his servants, This is John the Baptist; 
he is risen from the dead, and so mighty works do 
show themselves forth in him. Now Herod had mar- 
ried Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, while 
Philip was yet alive. And John the Baptist said to Herod, It is not law- 
ful for thee to have her. This made Herodias angry, and she wanted 
John to be put to death. But Herod was afraid to do this, because he 




THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 477 

feared the people; yet, that he might please Herodias, he put John in 
prison. 

And when Herod's birthday came, he made a great feast for his lords, 
high captains, and chief men of Galilee. And Salome, the daughter of 
Herodias, came in and danced before them. Herod was so much pleased 
with her dancing that he promised, with an oath, to give her whatever she 
would ask, even to the half of his kingdom. 

Then the girl went out and said to her mother, What shall I ask? 
Herodias answered, The head of John the Baptist. The girl came back 
in haste to the king, and said, Give me John the Baptist's head in a charger, 
(or large dish). 

Then the king was sorry, yet for the sake of his oath, and because 
those who sat at the feast with him had heard the oath, he did as she asked 
him. And he sent, and had John beheaded in prison. And the head of 
John was brought in a charger, and given to the young woman, and she 
carried it to her mother. And John's disciples came and took up the body 
and buried it, and went and told Jesus. 





JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACHING IN THE WILDERNESS. 







MADONNA AND CHILD. 



JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 481 



Jesus and the Woman of Samaria. 



yohn vi. 



WSt E HEN Jesus and His disciples left Judea and went again 

kBPjWIHS into Galilee. It is said in the sacred word, thus He 
sft^SI m ust needs go through Samaria. This province of 
llliflpiyB: Samaria lav between Judea and Galilee, so that Jesus 
jftiu ^wfBm&, must go through it if He took the straight road from 
one part of the country to the other. But this way 
was not the one the Jews in general took. They went by a road round 
about, because the Samaritans were not friendly to them. But Jesus must 
needs go through Samaria because He was to meet, on His journey, a 
woman to whom He was to preach the word of life. On their way Jesus 
and His disciples came to Sychar, a city of Samaria. Now Jacob's well 
was near that city, and Jesus, being wearied with His journey, sat down 
by the well, while His disciples went into the city to buy food. As He 
was sitting there alone, a woman of the city came to the well to draw 
water. Jesus talked with her about the Water of Life, and told her of 
many things, in which she had done wrong. And the woman said to Him, 
Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet* Then Jesus spoke to her about the 
worship of God, and said to her, God is a spirit, and they that worship 
Him must worship Him in spirit and truth. The woman said to Him, I 
know that Messiah cometh, who is called Christ. When He comes He 
will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I that speak to thee, am He. 

Then the woman left her water-pot and hastened back to the city, and 
said to the people, Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did. 
Is not this the Christ? Then the people went out and came to Jesus. 
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him because of what 
the woman had told them. And the people begged Him to come and 
stay with them. So Jesus went into the city and stayed with them two 
days. And many more believed on Him because of His own word. And 
He went about teaching and preaching the gospel, and saying, The time 
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the 
gospel. 






JESUS HEALS THE NOBLEMAN'S SON. 



Jesus Heals the Hobleman's Son. 



483 



yohn iv. 




NTERING again into Cana of Galilee, where He 
had made the water wine, Jesus was met by a 
nobleman of the city of Capernaum. And the 
nobleman begged Jesus to heal his son, who was 
at the point of death. And he said to Jesus, Sir, 
come down before my child dies. Jesus said to 
him, Go thy way, thy son liveth. And the man 
believed the words of Jesus, and went back home. And as he was going, 
his servants met him, and told him that his son was alive. Then he asked 
them at what hour he began to mend. They said, Yesterday at the sev- 
enth hour, the fever left him. Then the father knew that it was at the 
same time when Jesus had said to him, Thy son liveth. And he himself 
believed, and his whole family. 

After this Jesus came to Nazareth where He had been brought up. 
And, as He always did, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, 
and stood up to read. And there was handed to Him the book of the 
prophet Isaiah, and when He had opened the book He found the place 
where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath 
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the 
broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, the recovering of 
sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those that are bruised. And He 
closed the book and sat down ; and the eyes of all that were in the syna- 
gogue were fixed upon Him. Then He said to them, This day is this 
scripture fulfilled in your ears. He meant by this that He was the Savior 
of whom Isaiah had prophesied. But when the people in the synagogue 
heard what He said, they were filled with anger. And they rose up, and 
led Him to the edge of the hill on which the city was built, that they 
might cast Him down headlong. But He passed through the midst of 
them and went His way. 



4 8 4 



PETER, ANDREW, JAMES AND JOHN ARE CALLED. 



Peter, Ahdrew, James ahd John are Called. 

Jesus Casts out an Eyil Spirit. Jesus 

Cures the Mother of Peter's Wife. 

Jesus Heals the Leper. 




Matt, iv-viii; Mark i; Luke iv. 

ND Jesus went to Capernaum, a city 
which stood on the shores of the sea of 
Galilee. And as He stood by the sea, 
the people crowded upon Him to hear 
Him. And He saw two boats standing 
close to the shore, but the fishermen had 
gone out of them and were mending 
their nets. Then Jesus went into one of 
the boats, which was Simon Peter's, and 
asked him to push out a little way from 
the land. And He sat down and taught 
the people out of the boat. And when He had done talking to them, He 
said to Peter and to Andrew, his brother, 
Launch out into the deep, and let down your 
nets. And Peter said to Him, Master, we 
have toiled all night, and have taken noth- 
ing; yet at thy word I will let down the net. 
When they had done this they enclosed a 
great multitude of fishes, and their net broke. 
Then they beckoned to their partners 
who were in the other boat, that they should 
come and help them. And they came and jesus teaching out of the boat. 
filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Peter saw it, he 

fell down before Jesus, and said, Depart from 
me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he 
was astonished at the great number of fishes 
which they had taken, and so also were James 
and John, his partners. And Jesus said to 
them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers 
of men. And when they had brought their 
boats to land, they left all and followed Him. 
And on the Sabbath day Jesus went into 
the synagogue at Capernaum, and taught. And in the synagogue was a 
man who had an evil spirit. And he cried out, saying, Let us alone: what 






MARY, AND THE INFANTS JESUS AND JOHN, 



488 jesus casts out an evil spirit. jesus cures the mother of 
peter's wife, jesus heals the leper. 

have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to des- 
troy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 

Jesus said to him, Hold thy peace and 
come out of him. And when the evil spirit 
had thrown the man down, he cried with a 
loud voice, and came out of him. 

And all that saw it were astonished, and 




said among themselves, What thing is this r^ 
For he commands the evil spirits, and they 
obey him. 

After this they came out of the syna- 
gogue, and went into the house of Peter and 

Andrew, and James and John went with them also. And Peter's wife's 

mother lay sick of a fever, and they told Jesus of it. And He came to her 

and took her by the hand ; and immediately the fever left her, and she 

arose and waited on them. 

And when the sun was setting, the people of the city brought to Jesus 

all who were sick, and who had evil spirits. And He healed the sick and 

cast out many evil spirits. 

And in the morning, rising up a great while before it was day, Jesus 

went out to a quiet, lonely place, and there prayed. Then Peter and the 

other disciples followed Him, and when they had found Him, they said* 

All men seek for thee. For the people had 

come again to Peter's house to seek for Jesus. 

Jesus answered, I must preach the kingdom of 

God in other cities also. And He went through 

all Galilee, preaching in the synagogues. 

And there came a leper to Him, who 

kneeled down before Him, and said, Lord, if 

thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Then 

Jesus, moved with pity, put forth His hand and 

touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. 

And immediately the leprosy went from him. And Jesus said to him, See 

thou say nothing to any man, but go and show thyself to the priest, and 

offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded. But when 

the man went away, he made known wherever he went, what Jesus had 

done for him. 




~0Z5o 



49° JESUS HEALS THE MAN SICK OF THE PALSY. JESUS CALLS MATTHEW. 



Jesus Heals the Man Sick of the Palsy. 
Jesus Calls Matthew. 




Matt, ix ; Mark ii; Luke v. 

FTER some days, Jesus went again to Ca- 
pernaum, and it was told throughout the 
city that He had come. And many of 
the people came together at the house 
where Jesus was, and He preached the 
word unto them. And many of the Phar- 
isees and doctors of the law were sitting 
among the people in the house. And 
some men carried upon a cot, or mattress, 
a man who was sick of the palsy, and they 
tried to bring him into the house to Jesus. 
But when they could not get in on account of the multitude, they went 
upon the flat roof of trie house, and made an opening in it, and let the sick 
man down before Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man 
sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. But some of the scribes 
and Pharisees said to themselves, Who can forgive sins but God only? 
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and He said to them, Why reason these 
things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, 
Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Arise, take up thy bed and walk? 
But that ye may know that the Son of Man 
hath power on earth to forgive sins, (He 
said to the sick man), Arise, take up thy 
bed, and go to thine house. And immedi- 
ately the man rose up before them, and took 
up his bed, and went to his own house prais- 
ing God. And all those who saw it were 
astonished, and they glorified God, and said, 
We have seen strange things to-day. 

And as Jesus passed by the place where the call of matthew. 

the taxes were paid, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting there. And 
Jesus said to him, Follow me. And Matthew immediately rose up, and 
left all, and followed Him. 




<§<§)(§)£ 



JESUS HEALS THE IMPOTENT MAN. CHR 
ING THE SABBATH. 



TEACHING REGARD- 493 



Jesus Heals the Impotent Man. Christ's 

Teaching Regarding the Sabbath. 

The Apostle's Creed. 



Matt, xii; Mark ii; Luke vi; jfokn v. 

k FTER this there was a feast of the Jews, 

and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now, 
there was at Jerusalem, by the sheep gate, 
a pool called the pool of Bethesda, having 
five poiches. In these porches lay a great 
many sick and lame and blind persons, wait- 
ing for the moving of the water. For 
when the water was stirred up, as it was at 
certain times, in a wonderful way, any one 
who was the first to step in was healed of 
whatever disease he had. 
And a man who had been sick thirty-eight years, was lying near the 

pool. When Jesus saw him, He said to him, 

Wilt thou be made whole? The sick man an- 
swered, Sir, I have no man, when the water is 

troubled, to put me in the pool; but while I 

am coming, another steppeth down before me. 

Jesus said to him, Rise, take up thy bed, and 

walk. And immediately the man was healed 

of his disease, and took up his bed and walked. 

And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews 




therefore said to the man, It is the Sabbath 




THE WITHERED HAND HELD OUT. 



day; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed (or mattress). The man 
answered, He that made me whole said to me, Take up thy bed and walk. 
Therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He 
had done these things on the Sabbath day. 

And Jesus told them that His Father in Heaven did great works, and 
He, the Son, did great works also. 

Then the Jews tried harder to kill Him, because He made Himself 
equal with God. 

And Jesus went through the corn fields (or wheat fields) on the Sab- 
bath day, and His disciples, being hungry, picked some of the ears, and 
ate the grains, after rubbing them out in their hands. And some of the 
Pharisees said to them, Why do you do that which is not lawful on the 
Sabbath days? Jesus told them that the Sabbath was made for man, and 



494 JESUS HEALS ON THE SABBATH DAY. 

not man for the Sabbath, and that He was the Lord of the Sabbath. 
After that on another Sabbath day, He went into the synagogue and taught. 
And there was a man there, whose right hand was withered. And the 
scribes and Pharisees watched Jesus, to see if He would heal on the Sab- 
bath day, that they might accuse Him. And so they asked Him, Is it 
lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? Then He said to the man who had 
the withered hand, Rise up and stand forth in the midst. And the man 
did so. 

Then He said to them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days or 
to do evil? to save life or to destroy it? But they did not answer. 

He said further to them, If some one of you should have a sheep, and 
if it should fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, would you not take hold of 
it and lift it out? 

They did not say anything, but they saw at once that it would be right 
to lift the poor sheep out of the pit, and that they would do so if the sheep 
were theirs. 

Then Jesus said to them, How much better is a man than a sheep? 
Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath days. Then He looked 
around upon all of them, and they watched Him to see what He would do. 

Then He said to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it 
forth, and lo, it was made well, just like the other. 

And the Scribes and Pharisees when they saw this great miracle, in- 
stead of rejoicing with the man, and praising Jesus for what He had done, 
were filled with madness. The spirit of evil took hold of them, and they 
went out together, and held a meeting to see how they might kill Jesus. 
But He went away with His disciples, and came to the sea of Galilee. 
And a great multitude of people from all parts of the country came to 
Him, and He healed many of their diseases. 

He loved to be thus among the among the people, making this one to 
leap for joy, who had been lame, and throw away his crutches, and that 
one who had been wasting away with consumption to have the rosy glow 
of health. He loved to stretch out the hand, and with His touch make 
the little child, carried in its mother's arms, and fretting and crying for 
pain, laugh with happy glee, as every ache was driven off. 

But He felt the need of going away at times from them all, and of be- 
ing alone with His Father. 

And He went up into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in 
prayer to God. When it was morning, He called His disciples to Him, 
and He chose twelve whom He called apostles. These were Simon 
(whom He also named Peter), and Andrew his brother, James and John 




THE ADORATK 



! 




THE ANGELS. 



THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 499 

his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James, the 
son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, Simon called Zelotes, and Judas Iscariot. 



The Sermon oh the Mount. 



Matt, v-vii. 




NO Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up on to a 
mountain. And when He had sat down, His dis- 
ciples came to Him, and He taught them, saying, 
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be 
comforted. 

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit 
the earth. 

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they 
shall be filled. 

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of 
God. 

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall 
say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be 
exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they 
the prophets which were before you. 

He told His disciples that they were the salt of the earth, and they 
must not lose their good qualities. They were the light of the world, and 
they must not hide their light. He said that He had come not to destroy 
what the law and the prophets had taught, but to fulfill their teachings. 
He instructed the disciples that they must be a great deal better than the 
scribes and Pharisees, who appeared good in their lives, but were bad in 
their hearts. He told them that they must not be angry without cause, 
and must be of a forgiving disposition. They must not give back evil for 
evil, but good for evil. They must pray for their enemies, and do good to 
them. 

He taught them that they must give alms to the poor, but must not 
make any great ado about it. He told them that they must not be covet- 
ous in laying up treasures upon earth, but must use money in doing good, 
so that they could have treasure in heaven. He told them that no man 
could serve two masters at the same time, for he must obey one and dis- 
obey the other. So Jesus said, We cannot serve God and Mammon, — the 
god of this world, or of unrighteousness, — at the same time. 



5©0 THE CENTURION'S SERVANT HEALED ; THE WIDOWS SON RE- 
STORED TO LIFE. 



He taught them that they were not to have anxious thoughts abouj: 
food or clothing, but to trust in God who adorned the lilies and fed the 
birds. He told them that they must pray earnestly, and God would give 
them all the good things that they needed. He told them that the way 
to heaven was a narrow way, so men must do right in the sight of God to 
enter it, and the way to destruction was a broad way, because so many, 
who were doing wrong, walked in it. 

He told them that any one who heard these things which He had 
taught them, and did them, would be like a 
wise man, who built his house upon a rock, and 
when the rain descended, and the floods came 
and the winds blew, it did not fall, for it was 
tounded upon a rock. But the man who heard 
fciiese things and did not do them, would be like 
a foolish man, who built his house upon the 
sand. And when the rain descended, and 
the floods came, and the winds blew, the house 
tell, and great was its fall. A H0U8E BUIIJp ON A BOCK% 

And the people were astonished at what Jesus said, for He spoke as 
one who had come with authority from Heaven. 




'! 8E CENTURION'S SERVANT HEALED; THE WID- 
OW'S Son Restored to Life; Jesus In- 
vited to the Pharisee's House- 



Matt, viii; Luke vii. 

OW Jesus came again to Capernaum. And 
while He was there, a certain centurion, 
an officer in the Roman army, whose be- 
loved servant was lying at the point of 
death, sent some of the elders of the Jews 
to Jesus, begging Him to come and heal 
his servant. And the elders told Jesus 
that the centurion, although a Roman, was 
a good man. And they said, He loveth our 
nation, and has built us a synagogue. 

Then Jesus went with them. And 
when He was not far from the centurion's house, the centurion sent some 
friends to meet Jesus, and to say to Him, Lord, I am not worthy that thou 
shouldst come under my roof, neither did I think that I was worthy to 




JESUS INVITED TO THE PHARISEE'S HOUSE, 



5°* 




come unto thee; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 

For I have soldiers under me, and I say to 
one of them, Go, and he goes; and to an- 
other, Come, and he comes; and to my ser- 
vant, Do this, and he does it. When Jesus 
heard what the centurion had said, He was 
astonished, and said to the people who were 
with Him, I have not found so great faith t 
no, not in Israel. And when the friends 
who met Jesus went back to the centurion's 
house, they found his servant healed. 
On the next day, Jesus went to a city called Nain, and many of His 
disciples went with Him. And when He came near to the gate of the 
city, he met some people carrying a young man, who had died, to his 
grave. And he was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. 
And when Jesus saw her, He took pity on her, and said, Weep not. And 
He came and touched the bier; and those who carried it stood still. And 
Jesus said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead 
sat up, and began to speak. And Jesus gave him to his mother. And 
fear came upon all who saw it; and they glorified God, saying, A great 
prophet is risen up among us. 

And one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to come and eat with him. And 
Jesus went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And a woman 
of the city, who had been a sinner, hearing that Jesus was at the Phari- 
see's house, came there, bringing an alabas- 
ter box of ointment. And she stood at 
Jesus' feet, weeping, and began to wash 
them with tears, and did wipe them with the 
hairs of her head; and she kissed His feet, 
and anointed them with the ointment. 

Now when the Pharisee, who had asked 
Jesus, saw it, he said to himself, This man, 
if he were a prophet, would have known 
who and what kind of woman this is, that 
touches him, for she is a sinner. 

Then Jesus said to him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. 
He answered, Master, say on. Jesus said, There was a certain creditor 
who had two debtors; the one owed him five hundred pence, and the other 
fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them both. 
Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most? 

Simon answered, I suppose that one to whom he forgave most. Jesus 

said, Thou hast rightly judged. 
30 




502 THE PARABLE OF THE FOOLISH RICH MAN. THE PARABLE OF 
THE WHEAT AND TARES. 

And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this 
woman? I entered into thy house, and thou gavest me no water for my 
feet ; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the 
hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this woman, since I came 
in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not 
anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, 
I say to thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much. 
But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And Jesus said to 
the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace. 



The Parable of the Foolish Rich Man. The 
Parable of the Sower. The Parable of 
the Wheat and Tares. The Parable of 
the Mustard Seed. The Hidden Treas- 
ure. The Parable of the Merchant and 
the Pearl. The Parable of the Drag-net. 



Matt, xiii; Mark iv ; Luke viii, xii. 

l;|i : ']S^J) Jesus said to the people, Take heed and 
beware of coveteousness. And He taught 
them in a parable about coveteousness. He 
said, The ground of a certain rich man 
brought forth plentifully. And he 
thought, What shall I do, because I have 
no room where to put my fruits? And 
he said, I will do this; I will pull down 
my barns, and build greater, and there 
will I put all my fruits and my goods. 
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast 

a plenty of riches laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and 

be merry. 

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required 

of thee, then whose shall those things be, which thou hast laid up. So is 

he, Jesus said, that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward 

God. 

And Jesus said to His disciples, Take no anxious thought, what you 

shall eat, or what you shall wear. Look at the ravens! They neither 

sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet God feedeth them. Are you not 

better than the fowls? 

Consider the lilies how they grow; they do not toil, they do not spin; 





CHRIST AND THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 



THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED. THE HIDDEN TREASURE. 505 
THE PARABLE OF THE MERCHANT AND THE PEARL. 

yet Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 

If God then so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and to- 
morrow is burned, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little 
faith? Seek first the kingdom of God, and food and clothing shall be 
given to you. 

And Jesus began to teach by the seaside. And as a great number of 
people came to hear Him, He went into a boat and sat down, and the peo- 
ple stood on the shore. And He spoke many things to them in parables: 
Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and as he sowed, some of the seed fell 
by the way-side, and the birds of the air came and ate it. Some fell on 
stony ground, where it had not much earth; and as soon as it had sprung 
up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among 
thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But some of the 
seed fell on good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundred-fold, 
some sixty, some thirty-fold. 

When Jesus was alone, His disciples came to Him, and asked Him 
what the parable meant. Jesus told them that the seed meant the word of 
God which He preached. The seed which fell upon the hard and beaten 
pathway, represented those persons on whom His words had no effect, but 
who go on their way as if they had not heard. The seed which fell on 
stony ground meant those persons, who, when they have heard the word, 
receive it with joy, and for awhile believe; but they have no root, and in 
time of trouble and temptation, fall away. That which fell among thorns, 
were those persons, who, when they had heard the word, went away and 
soon forgot it, because they allowed their hearts to be filled with the cares 
and pleasures of this life. But that which fell on good ground, Jesus said, 
are they, who, in honest and good hearts, having heard the word, keep it, 
and bring forth fruit with patience. 

And Jesus spoke another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of 
heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men 
slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his 
way. But when the wheat had grown up, then the tares appeared also. 

So the servants of the householder came to him and said, Sir, didst 
thou not sow good seed in thy field? From whence then has it tares? 
The owner answered, An enemy has done this. The servants said to 
him, Shall we go and gather up the tares? He said, No, lest while you 
gather up the tares, you root up the wheat, also, with them. 

Let both grow together until the harvest, then I will say to the reap- 
ers, Gather together the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but 
gather the wheat into the barn. 

Another parable Jesus spoke to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven 



5°6 JESUS CALMS THE TEMPEST. 

is like a grain of mustard seed, which indeed is the least of all seeds. But 
when it is sown in the earth, it grows up, and becomes greater than all 
herbs, and sends out great branches, so that the birds of the air may lodge 
under the shadow of it. 

Then Jesus sent the people away, and His disciples came to Him, and 
said, Explain unto us the parable of the tares. Jesus said to them, He that 
sows the good seed, is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The 
wheat means the children of God, but the tares are the children of the 
wicked one. The enemy that sowed the tares is Satan. The harvest is 
the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the 
tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of this 
world. The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall 
gather out of His kingdom all that are bad, and shall cast them into a fur- 
nace of fire. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the king- 
dom of their Father. 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field. When 
a man has found it, he hides it, and for joy goes and sells all that he has, 
and buys that field. 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant, who was seeking 
beautiful and valuable pearls. When he had found one pearl of great price, 
he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that is cast into the sea and 
gathers in every kind of fish. When it is full, the fisherman draws it to 
shore, and gathers the good fish together, but casts the bad away. So 
shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall come forth, and sep- 
arate the wicked from the just, and shall cast the wicked into a furnace of 
fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 



Jesus Calms the Tempest. Jesus Heals the 
Demoniac of Gadara 



Matt, viii; Mark iv-v; Luke xiii. 

ND when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He 
said to His disciples, Let us pass over to the other side 
of the sea. And when He had sent the people away, 
He and His disciples went into a small ship to sail 
across the sea of Galilee. When they were out on the 
sea, a great storm arose, and the waves beat against the 
ship and covered it. But Jesus was asleep in the hinder part of the ship. 
And His disciples came and awoke Him, saying, Master dost thou not care 
that we perish ? Then Jesus arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea, 





CHRIST RAISING THE WIDOW'S SON. 



507 



5 o8 



JESUS HEALS THE DEMONIAC OF GADARA. 




and said to them, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a 

great calm. 

And Jesus said to His disciples, Why are 
you so fearful, O you of little faith? But they 
were filled with wonder, and said one to an- 
other, What manner of man is this, that even 
the wind and the sea obey Him? 

And they came over to the other side of the 
sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And 
when Jesus had gone out of the ship, there met 
the man in the tombs. Him a man who had in him evil spirits. The 

man was very fierce, and lived among the tombs. His friends had tried to 
bind him with chains, but he had broken the chains in pieces. And al- 
ways, night and day, he was in the mountains or in the tombs, crying, and 
cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and 
worshiped Him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, 
Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me not 
(for Jesus had commanded the evil spirits to come out of the man). 

Now there was near the mountain a great herd of swine feeding, and 
all the evil spirits begged Jesus, saying, Send us into the swine. 

Jesus gave them leave, and the evil spirits went out of the man, and 
entered into the swine ; and the whole herd ran swiftly down a steep place 
into the sea, and were drowned. And those who took care of the swine 
fled, and told the people of the city all that had taken place. 

Then the people went out to see what had been done. And they came 
to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the evil spirits had gone, sitting 
at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. 

Then all the people were afraid, and asked Jesus to leave their coun- 
try. And when He had entered the ship to depart, the man who had been 
cured, came to Him, and begged that he might go with Him. But Jesus 
sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house and tell what great 
things God hath done for thee. And the man did as Jesus told him. 




JESUS HEALS THE ISSUE OF BLOOD. JESUS RAISES THE DAUGH- 509 

TER OF JAIRUS. 

Jesus Heals the Issue of Blood, Jesus 
Raises the Daughter of Jairus. 




Matt, ix; Mark v; Luke vili. 

HEN Jesus went back again to the other side of the 
sea, and the people gladly received Him. And one of 
the rulers of the synagogue, named Jairus, came and 
fell at His feet, saying, My little daughter lieth at the 
point of death; I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on 
her that she may be healed. And as Jesus and His 
disciples were going with the ruler, the people crowded about them. 
Among the people was a woman who had been sick for twelve years, and 
she had given all the money she had to the physicians, that they might 
cure her, but they could not. And she came behind Jesus, and touched 
the hem of His garment (for she said to herself, If I may but touch His 
clothes, I shall be healed). And as soon as she had done so, she was healed 
of her disease. 

And Jesus, looking on those around Him, said, Who touched me? His 
disciples answered, The people press upon thee, and sayest thou, Who 
touched me? Jesus looked around, to see her who had done this thing. 
When the woman saw that she could not hide herself, she came fearing 
and trembling, and falling down before Him, told Him what she had 
done, and how she had been cured immediately. Jesus said to her, 
Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. 

While He was yet speaking to the woman, some one came from the 
ruler's house, and said to Jairus, Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou 
the master any further? When Jesus heard these words, He said to the 
ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 

And when He came to the ruler's house, the people there were weep- 
ing and wailing greatly. Jesus said to them, Weep not; she is not dead, 
but sleepeth. But they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 
But when Jesus had put them all out, He took Peter, James, and John, 
and the parents of the child, and went to the place where she was lying. 
And taking her by the hand, He said, Maid, arise. And the spirit of this 
little girl of twelve years of age came again, and she arose immediately 
and walked. And Jesus commanded them to give her food. 

And as Jesus was going away, two blind men followed Him, crying 
out and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. Jesus said to 
them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes, 
Lord. Then He touched their eyes, and said, According to your faith be 



5IOJESUS REJECTED IN HIS OWN COUNTRY. 

AND FED. 



THE TWELVE THOUS- 



it unto you. And instantly they were able to see. And Jesus said to 
them, Let no man know it. But when they went away, they told it 
wherever they went. 

And they brought to Him a dumb man who had an evil spirit. And 
when Jesus had cast out the evil spirit, the dumb man spoke. And the 
people were astonished and said, Such things were never before seen in 
Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince 
of devils. 



Jesus Rejected in His own Country. The 
Twelve Apostles sent Forth. The Fiye 
Thousand Fed. Jesus Walks on the Wa- 
ter, and Heals Many who are Sick. 



Matt, x-xiv; Mark vi; Luke ix; yohn vi. 



»'£^3#j£^v£$ 



N the meantime Jesus came to His own city of 
Nazareth. And when the Sabbath day was 
come, He went into the synagogue and taught 
the people. And those who heard Him were 
astonished, and said, Whence did this man get 
this wisdom, and how can He do these mighty 
works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not 
His mother called Mary? Are not James, and 
Joses, and Simon, and Judas, his brethren, and 
are not his sisters here with us? And they 
would not believe on Him. And because of 
their unbelief, He did no great miracles among 
them, except that He laid His hands on a few 
sick persons, and healed them. 

And He called His twelve apostles to Him, 
and gave them power to cast out evil spirits, 
and to heal all kinds of sickness. And He sent 
them forth to preach the gospel, and said to them, Go not into any city of 
the Gentiles nor of the Samaritans ; but go rather to the lost sheep of the 
house of Israel. As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at 
hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. 
Take nothing for your journey, neither bread nor money ; for the work- 
man is worthy of all these things. 

Behold I send you forth as sheep among wolves; be ye therefore as 
wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. For men will scourge you, and 





CHRIST RAISING THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS. 



514 JESUS WALKS ON THE WATER, AND HEALS MANY WHO ARE SICK. 

bring you before kings and governors, and you shall be hated, for my 
name's sake. 

But fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the 
soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in 
hell. 

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? Yet not one of them falls 
to the ground without your Father's knowing it. Fear not, therefore, ye 
are of more value than many sparrows. He that will receive you, receives 
me, and he that will receive me, receives Him who sent me. 

Then the apostles went through the cities and towns, preaching the 
gospel, and healing, everywhere. 

When they came back to Jesus, they told Him all the things that they 
had done and taught. And He said to them, Come apart into a desert place, 
and rest awhile. And they went by boat across the sea of Galilee. But 
the people saw them going, and a great multitude went on foot around the 
sea, that they might meet them, when they came to the other side. And 
when Jesus saw the people, He was moved with pity, and taught them 
many things, and healed the sick. 

And when the evening was come, His disciples said to Him, Send the 
people away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food, 
for we are here in a desert place. Jesus said to them, Give them some- 
thing to eat. The apostles answered, We have only five loaves and two 
small fishes, but what are they among so many ? Jesus said to His apos- 
tles, Make the people sit down by companies upon the green grass. Then 
Jesus took the five loaves and two fishes, and when He had given thanks, 
he broke the loaves in pieces, and gave them to His disciples, that they 
might give to the people. He divided the fishes among them also. And 
they all ate, and had enough. 

When they had done eating, the disciples gathered up twelve baskets 
full of the pieces that were left. And those that had eaten were about 
five thousand men, besides women and children. 

And when the people saw the miracle which Jesus did, they said, This 
is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. And they tried 
to compel Jesus to be their king, but He left them, and went up on a 
mountain alone. 

And He sent the apostles away in a boat, that they might go before 
Him to the other side of the sea. And when the evening was come He 
was there alone, but the boat was in the midst of the sea tossed by the 
waves. And Jesus saw His disciples hard at work rowing the boat, f or 
the wind was against them. And towards morning He went out to them, 
walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw Him they were very 
much afraid, and said, It is a spirit. And they cried out in their fear. But 



MANY OF THE DISCIPLES LEAVE JESUS. 



515 



immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I, be not 
afraid. 

Then Peter said to Him, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on 
the water. Jesus answered, Come. Then Peter got out of the boat, and 
walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was 
blowing violently and raised great waves, he was afraid ; and beginning to 
sink, he cried out, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth 
His hand and caught him, and said to him, O thou of little faith, why didst 
thou doubt? And when they were come into the boat the wind ceased; 
and instantly the boat was at the land where the disciples wanted to go. 
Then they worshiped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. 

When the people knew that Jesus had come, they sent into all that 
country round about, and began to carry on cots or beds those that were 
sick, that they might bring them to Jesus. And wherever He went, the 
people brought their sick to Him, and begged that they might touch, if it 
were only the hem of His garment; and as many as touched Him were 
entirely healed. 

Many of the Disciples Leave Jesus. Peter's 
Confession. An Evil Spirit Cast out. 
Many Sick are Healed, and Four Thous- 
and Persons Fed. A Blind Man Healed. 
Peter and the Other Disciples Again 
Profess Their Faith in Jesus. 




•Matt, xv, xvi; Mark vii,viii; Luke ixf 
yohn ix. 



EANWHILE Jesus went into the synagogue at 
Capernaum, and taught the people. And He 
told them to labor and strive, not for the food 
that perishes, but for that which endures unto 
eternal life, and which the Son of Man alone 
could give them. 

The Jews asked Him, saying, What shall 
we do, that we may work the works cf God? 
Jesus answered, This is the work of God, that 
ye believe on me whom He hath sent. But 
the Jews would not believe that He was the 
Savior, and many of His disciples left Him, and 
walked no more with Him. 



Si6 



AN EVIL SPIRIT CAST OUT. 




Then Jesus said to the twelve, Will you also go away? Simon Peter 
answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou 
hast the words of eternal life. Jesus said, Have 
I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a 
devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot, for it was 
he who would betray Jesus. 

After this, Jesus went into the country of 
Tyre and Sidon. And a woman, whose young 
daughter had an evil spirit, came to Jesus, and 
kneeling down before Him, prayed that He 
would cast the evil spirit out of her daughter. 
Jesus said to her, It is not right to take the children's bread and give it 
to dogs. (The Jews called other people dogs.) Jesus was simply trying 
her faith, to see if she would continue to ask. The woman said, It is true, 
Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. 
Jesus said to her, O woman, great is thy 
faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. 
And her daughter was cured from that very 
hour. 

Then Jesus left that part of the country, 
and came near to the sea of Galilee. And 
the people brought to Him a man who was 
deaf, and had some trouble with his speech, 
and they begged Jesus to lay His hand upon 
the man. And Jesus took him aside from 
the multitude, and put His fingers into the man's ears, and spit, and touched 
his tongue; and looking up to heaven, He said, Be opened. And imme- 
diately the man was healed. 

And a great number of people came to Jesus, bringing with them those 
that were lame, and blind, and dumb, and many others. And they laid 
them down at His feet, and He healed them. And the people wondered 
when they heard the dumb speak, and saw the lame walk, and the blind 
see; and they gave praise to the God of Israel. 

Then Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, I have compassion on 
the multitude, because they have been with me three days, and have had 
nothing to eat. I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint by the 
way, for many of them have come from far. His disciples answered, 
Where is there bread enough in the wilderness for so great a number of 
people? Jesus asked, How many loaves have you? They answered, 
Seven, and a few small fishes. Then He commanded the people to sit 
down on the ground, and He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and 
gave thanks, and broke tlje loaves in pieces, and gave them and the fishes 




Hi 




Mill 



MANY SICK ARE HEALED, AND FOUR THOUSAND PERSONS FED. 



519 



to His disciples, and they gave them to the people. And they all did eat 
and were filled. And they took up of the pieces that were left seven bas- 
kets full. Those that had eaten were about four thousand men, besides 
women and children. Then Jesus sent the people away, and crossed over 
the sea in a boat to Dalmanutha. 

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came and asked Him to show them 
a sign from heaven. But Jesus refused, saying, There shall no sign be 
given unto you. And He left them. 

And He came to the city of Bethsaida, and the people brought a blind 
man to Jesus, and begged that He would 
touch him. And He took the blind man by 
the hand, and led him out of the town; and 
when He had spit on the blind man's eyes, 
and put His hands upon him, He asked him 
if he saw anything. The man answered, I 
see men as trees, walking. Jesus put His 
hands again on the man's eyes, and made 
him look up, and his sight was restored, so 
that he saw clearly. 

After this, Jesus and His apostles went into that part of the country 
which is near Cesarea Philippi. As they were going Jesus asked His 
disciples, Who do men say that I am? They answered, Some say that 
thou art John the Baptist, some, Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the 
prophets. Jesus said, But who do you say that I am? Then Peter an- 
swered, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said to 
him, Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas, for no man has revealed it unto 
thee, but my Father who is in heaven. 





520 



JESUS FORETELLS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. 



Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrec- 
tion. The Transfiguration. A Demoniac 
Healed. The Tribute Money Proyided 
by a Miracle. The Disciples Contend 
who shall be greatest. parable of the 
Unforgiving Servant. The Seventy In- 
structed and Sent Out. 




Matt, xvi y Mark viii. ix y Luke ix, x. 



UT from that time Jesus began to tell His disciples 
that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things 
of the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes; and 
that they would put Him to death, but on the third 
day He would rise again from the dead. 

Peter said, Be it far from thee, Lord ; this shall 
not be unto thee. Then Jesus turned and said to 
Peter, Thou dost not speak the words that are of God, 
but of men. 

And Jesus said to His disciples, If any man will 
come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, 
and follow me. For whosoever will save his life 
shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my 
sake and the gospel's, shall save it. For what is a 
man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and 

lose his own soul (or life)? 

And after six days, Jesus took Peter, 

James and John, and went up on a high 

mountain to pray. And as He prayed, He 

was transfigured before them, and His face 

shone like the sun, and His clothing was 

white as the light. 

And there appeared to them Moses and 

Elijah, and they talked to Jesus about His 

death, which should take place at Jerusalem. 

And Peter said, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if it please thee let us 

make three tabernacles here, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for 

Elias. While he was yet speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, 

and a voice spoke out of the cloud, This is my beloved Son ; hear Him. 




BE IT FAB FBOM THEE, LOED 




CHRIST HEALING THE BLIND MAN. 



521 



522 



THE TRANSFIGURATION. A DEMONIAC HEALED. 




LET HIM TAKE UP HIS CRO80. 



^->-/V;iV^. 



When the three apostles heard the voice, they fell on their faces, and were 

greatly, afraid. Then Jesus came and 
touched them, and said, Arise, and be not 
afraid. And when they had looked around, 
they saw no man except Jesus. 

And as they came down from the moun- 
tain, He told them not to tell what they had 
seen, until the Son of Man were risen from 
the dead. And they asked one another 
what the rising from the dead meant. 

And on the next day when they came to 
the place where they had left the other apostles, they saw a great number 
of people about them. And a man came out of the crowd, and kneeling 
before Jesus, said, Master, I have brought unto thee my only son, who has 
an evil spirit. And I brought him to thy dis- 
ciples, but they could not cure him. 

Jesus said, Bring thy son here. And as they 
were bringing him, the evil spirit threw him 
down, and he rolled on the ground foaming at 
the mouth. 

Jesus asked his father, How long is it since 
this came upon him? The father answered, 
Since he was a child. And many times it has 
made him fall into the fire and into the water, 
to destroy him. 

Then Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out of the young man; 
and the spirit went out of him, and he was cured from that very hour. 

Then Jesus and His disciples came to Capernaum. And those who 
received the money to be paid the government, came to Peter and said, 
Does not your master pay the tribute money ? He answered, Yes. And 
when Peter came to the house where Jesus was, He said to Peter, Go to 

the sea, and cast in a hook, and take up the 
fish that first comes up, and when thou hast 
opened its mouth, thou shalt find a piece of 
money. Take it, and give it to the tax- 
gatherers, for me and for thee. 

And while they -were in the house, Jesus 
asked His disciples, What was it that you 
were disputing about, as you were walking 
together? But they all were silent, because 
they had been disputing among themselves, 
who should be greatest. Then Jesus called a little child, and set him in 




PETER TAKING THE MONEY PROM THB 
PISH. 




PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT. 



523 




the midst of them, and said, Except you be converted, and become as little 
children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever 
therefore shall humble himself as this little child, shall be greatest in the 
kingdom of heaven. 

And Jesus said to His disciples, If your brother shall sin against you, 
go and tell him his fault between yourself and him alone. If he hear you, 
you have gained your brother. Then Peter said to Him, Lord, how often 
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? 
Jesus answered, Not until seven times, but until seventy times seven. 

And He told them a parable, saying, A 
certain king would settle with his servants. 
And when he began to reckon with them, 
one was brought who owed him a large 
sum of money — ten thousand talents. And 
because he could not pay the money, his 
master commanded him to be sold, and his 
wife and children also, that payment might 
be made. Then the servant fell down be- 
fore him and said, Have patience with me, 
and I will pay thee all. Then his master was moved with pity, and for- 
gave him the debt. 

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, 
who owed him a hundred pence. And he took him by the throat, and 
said, Pay me what thou owest. And his fellow-servant fell down at his 
feet, and begged him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee 
all. But he would not, but went and cast him into prison, to stay there, 
until he should pay the debt. 

So, when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sor- 
ry, and went and told their master of it. _ _^g^_ ..- *-r*&-~--. 
Then his master, when he had called that 
servant, said to him, O thou wicked servant, 
I forgive thee all that debt because thou 
didst pray me to do so. Shouldst thou not, 
also, have had pity on thy fellow-servant, 
even as I had pity on thee? And his mas- 
ter was very angry, and caused him to be 
punished, until he should pay all that was 
due his master. And Jesus said, if men 
will not forgive their fellow men for doing wrong our Father in Heaven 
will not forgive them for sinning against Him. 

Then Jesus chose seventy more of His disciples, beside the twelve 
apostles, and sent them out to go two by two into every city and place 
31 




JESUS SENDING OUT HIS DISCIPLES. 



5 2 4 



A SAMARITAN VILLAGE REFUSES TO RECEIVE JESUS. 






where He Himself was about to go. And He told them to go, and preach 
the gospel of the kingdom, and heal the sick, and take neither money nor 
food with them. And the seventy went out and did as Jesus commanded 
them. 



A Samaritan Village Refuses to Receiye 
Jesus. Ten Lepers Cleansed. Jesus 
Teaches in the Temple. Rulers try to 
Seize Him. He Reproves the Unbelieving 
Jews. The Lawyer's Question Answered. 
Parable of the Good Samaritan. 




Luke ix, #, xvi; jfohn vii, viii. 



HEN the time grew near that Jesus should be crucified 
He set out to go to Jerusalem. And He sent forward 
some of His disciples to find a place where He could 
eat and rest by the way. 

And they came to a valley of the Samaritans. But 

the people of the village, finding that Jesus was going 

to Jerusalem, would not receive Him. When James 

and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou permit 

us to call down fire from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did? 

But Jesus turned and reproved them, saying, You do not know what 

kind of spirit you possess. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy 

men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. 

As they were going there, they were met by ten lepers. And the 
lepers stood a long distance off, and cried out to Jesus, saying, Jesus, Mas- 
ter, have mercy on us. 

He said to them, Go show yourselves to the priests as though you were 
healed. And as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when 
he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice praised 
God, and fell at the feet of Jesus, giving Him thanks. And he was a 
Samaritan. 

And Jesus said, Were there not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 
None of them have returned to give glory to God except this stranger. 

After this Jesus came to Jerusalem, and about the middle of the feast 
of tabernacles He went up to the temple and taught. And many of the 
people believed on Him, and said, When Christ comes, will He do more 
miracles than this man has done? 




THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 



525 




526 JESUS TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE. 

Now the Pharisees and chief priests had sent officers to take Jesus, but 
when they heard what He said to the people, they would not touch Him, 
and went back without Him. Then the 
chief priests and Pharisees asked, Why have 
you not brought Him? The officers an- 
swered, No man ever spoke like this man. 

The next day Jesus again taught the 
people. And He said to the Jews, who did 
not believe on Him, I go my way, but where 
I go you cannot come. If God were your 
father, and you loved Him, you would love 
me. And because I tell you the truth, you 

•11 l 1 1* ' tt M t a. NO MAN EVER SPOKE LIKE THIS MAN. 

will not believe me. Verily, I say unto you, 
if a man keep my sayings, he shall never die. 

Then the Jews said, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham 
is dead, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If a man keep my sayings he 
shall never see death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham and the 
prophets? Whom makest thou thyself? 

Jesus answered, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he 
saw it and was glad. The Jews said to Him Thy art not yet fifty years 
old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 

Jesus answered, Verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 
Then they took up stones to cast at Him, but He passed out of the temple, 
going through the midst of them, and went away. 

As He was teaching the people at another time, a certain lawyer stood 
up, and asked Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 
Jesus said to him, What is written in the law? What dost thou read in it? 
The lawyer answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy 
mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. Jesus said to him, Thou hast answered 
right; do this, and thou shalt live. But the lawyer said, And who is my 
neighbor? 

Then Jesus said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, 
and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothes, and wounded him, 
and departed, leaving him half dead. And there came a certain priest that 
way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And a Lev- 
ite also, when he came to the place, looked on him, and passed by on the 
other side. 

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where the man was, 
and when he saw him, he had pity on him, and went to him, *and bound 
up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and 
brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the next day when 



JESUS GOES TO BETHANY. 



527 



he went away, he took out some money and gave it to the host, and said 
to him, Take care of the man; and whatever thou spendest, when I come 
again, I will repay thee. 

Which now of these three, do you think, Jesus asked, was neighbor 
unto him that fell among thieves? The lawyer answered, He that showed 
mercy on him. Then Jesus said to him, Go, and do likewise. 



Jesus goes to Bethahy. The Disciples taught 
again how to pray. the seventy return. 
A Blihd Mm Healed ok the Sabbath. 
Jesus the Good Shepherd. 



Luke x, xi; yohn ix-xi. 

HEN Jesus came to a certain village called Bethany, 
and a woman named Martha received Him into 
her house. She had a sister named Mary, who 
sat at Jesus feet, and listened to His teachings. 
But Martha was anxious and worried about the 
cares of the house, and came to Jesus and said, 
Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left 
me to serve alone? Bid her that she help me. 

Jesus answered, Martha, Martha, thou art care- 
ful and troubled about many things ; but one thing 
is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken 
away from her. 

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. After He had ended 

His prayer, one 
of His disciples 
said to Him, 
Lord, teach us 
to pray. Jesus 
said, When you 





pray, say. 



Our 




name. Thy kingdom come. 



Father, who art 
in heaven, Hal- 
lowed be thy 
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 



JESUS AND MARTHA AND MARY. 



Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we 



528 



THE SEVENTY RETURN. 



forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the 
glory forever. Amen. 

And Jesus said to them, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye 
shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. If a son shall ask 
bread of any of you, who is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask. 
for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then being evil, know how 
to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly 
Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him. 

And the seventy disciples whom Jesus had sent out to preach, returned 
to Him with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through 
thy name. 

Jesus said to them, Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and 

scorpions, and nothing shall hurt you. Yet 
in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject 
unto you, but rather rejoice, because your 
names are written in heaven. 

And Jesus saw a man who had been 
blind from his birth; and He spat on the 
ground, and made clay of the spittle, and 
having anointed the blind man's eyes with 
it, He said to him, Go, wash in the pool of 
jestts heals the blind man. Sttoam. The man went therefore, and 

washed, and came back with his sight restored. 

When his neighbors, and those who before had known that he was 
blind, saw what had been done to him, they said, Is not this he who sat 
and begged? Some said, This is he; others said, He is like him; but he 
himself said, I am he. Therefore they said to him, How were thine eyes 
opened? He answered, A man that is called Jesus, made clay, and anoint- 
ed my eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash; and I 
went and washed, and received my sight. Then they said to him, Where 
is He? He answered, I know not. 

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. And it 
was the Sabbath day, when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 

And the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He 
answered, He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed and now see. Some 
of the Pharisees said, This man (Jesus) is not of God, because He does not 
keep the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man, who is a sinner, do 
such miracles? 

The Pharisees said to the man, What dost thou say of Him who has 
opened thine eyes? The man said, He is a prophet. 

But the Jews did not believe that the man had been blind, until they 




JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD. 529 

had called his parents, and asked them, Is this your son who, ye say, was 
born blind? How then does he see? 

His parents answered, We know that this is our son, and that he was 
born blind, but by what means he now sees, we do not know. He is of 
age, ask him ; he shall speak for himself. 

His parents said this, because they were afraid of the Jews. For the 
Jews had agreed, that if any man should confess that Jesus was the Christ, 
he should be put out of the synagogue. 

Then the Pharisees again called the man who had been blind, and said 
to him, Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner. 

The man answered, Whether He be a sinner or no, I do not know. 
One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. 

They said to him again, What did He do to thee? How did He open 
thine eyes? The man answered, I have told you already, and you did not 
hear. Why do you w T ant to hear it again? Will you also be His disciples? 

Then they were enraged against him, and said, Thou art His disciple, 
but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke unto Moses, but 
as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 

The man said, W^hy this is a very strange thing, that you know not from 
whence He is, and yet He has opened mine eyes. Since the world began, 
it was not heard that any man opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 
If this man were not of God, He could do nothing. 

Then the Pharisees said to him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and 
dost thou teach us? And they cast him out of the synagogue. 

When Jesus heard that the man had been cast out, He went and found 
him, and said to him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? The man 
answered, Who is He, Lord, that I may believe on Him? Jesus said, Thou 
hast seen Him. It is He that talketh with 
thee. And the man said, Lord, I believe. And 
he worshiped Him. 

And Jesus said to those about Him, He that 
does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, 
but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a 
robber. But he that enters in by the door is 
the shepherd of the sheep. I am the door of 
the sheep; by me if any man enter in, he shall 
be saved, and shall go in and out, and find 
pasture. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of 
mine; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And 
I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any 
man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, is 




530 THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 

greater than all, and no man can pluck them out of His hand. I and my 
Father are one. 

Then the Jews took up stones to stone Him, because, they said, He 
blasphemes, and being a man, makes Himself out to be God. But Jesus 
escaped from them, and went away beyond Jordan, to the place where 
John at first baptized. And a great number of people came to Him, and 
many believed on Him there. 



The Raising of Lazarus. 



yohn vi. 




AZARUS, the brother of Martha and Mary, who lived at 
Bethany, fell sick, and his sisters sent word to Jesus, Lord, 
he whom thou lovest is sick. 

Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus, yet 
when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed two days 
longer in the place where He was. Then He said to His 
disciples, Let us go into Judea again; our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I 
go, that I may wake him out of sleep. Then, when His disciples did not 
know what He meant, He said to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 

Now Bethany was nearly two miles from Jerusalem, and many of the 
Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them in their sorrow. When 
Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out and met Him, but 
Mary sat still in the house. And Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if thou 
hadst been here, my brother had not died. Jesus said to her, Thy brother 
shall rise again. Martha answered, I know that he shall rise again in the 
resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and 
the life; whosoever liveth, and believeth in me shall never die. Dost thou 
believe this? Martha answered, Yes, Lord, I believe. 

When Martha had said this, she went back to the house, and said to 
her sister, The Master is come, and calls for thee. As soon as Mary 
heard this, she arose quickly, and came to the place where Jesus was, and 
when she saw Him, she fell down at His feet, and said, Lord, if thou hadst 
been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus saw her weeping, and 
the Jews also weeping, who came with her, he was greatly moved, and 
said, Where have you laid him? They answered, Lord, come and see. 

Jesus wept. 

Then the Jews said, Behold how He loved him! And some of them 
said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, have prevented 
Lazarus from dying? 

Jesus came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay at the mouth 




THE RAISING OF LAZARUS 



AN INFIRM WOMAN HEALED ON THE SABBATH. 



533 



of it. And Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha said, Lord, he has 
been dead four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not tell thee, that if thou 
wouldst believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God? Then they took 
away the stone from the mouth of the cave. And J'esus cried out with a 
loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. Then he that was dead came forth, 
bound hand and foot in grave clothes, and his face bound about with a 
napkin. Jesus said to them, Loose him and let him go. 

Then many of the Jews, who had come to comfort Mary and Martha, 
when they saw what Jesus did, believed on Him. But some of them went 
and told the Pharisees of it. Then the chief priests and Pharisees took 
counsel together, and said, What shall we do? for this man works many 
miracles. If we let him alone, all men will believe on Him, and the Ro- 
mans will come and destroy our nation. Then from that day forth, they 
plotted how they might put Him to death. 



An Infirm Woman Healed ok the Sabbath. 
Parable of the Great Supper. Jesus 
Teaches what is Required of true Disci- 
ples. Publicans and Sinners Flock to 
Him. Parables of the Lost Sheep, the 
Lost Piece of Silyer, and the Prodigal 
Son. 



Luke xiii-xv. 




N one of the synagogues Jesus was teaching on 
the Sabbath day, and He saw there a woman 
who had been sick for eighteen years, and was 
so bent down that she was not able to lift her- 
self up. And Jesus called her to Him, and said 
to her, Woman, thou art healed of thine infirm- 
ity. And He laid His hands on her, and imme- 
diately she was made straight, and glorified God. 
Then the ruler of the synagogue was angry, 
because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day. 
And he said to the people, There are six days in 

which men ought to work; come on these days and be healed, and not on 

the Sabbath day. 

Jesus said to him, Thou hypocrite, does not each one of you on the 

Sabbath, loose his ox or his ass from his stall, and lead him away to water 




534 PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUPPER. 

him? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, who 

has been bent down these eighteen years, be 

loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? 

When He said this, all His enemies were 

ashamed; but all the people rejoiced, for all the 

great things that were done by Him. 

And He went, on another Sabbath day, to 
eat at the house of one of the chief Pharisees, 
and while there, He told this parable to those 
who were in the house, A certain man made a 
great supper, and invited many people. And 
he sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were bidden, Come, 
for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to 
make excuse. 

The first said, I have bought a piece of ground, and must go and see 
it; I pray thee have me excused. Another said, I have bought five yoke 
of oxen, and I must go to try them ; I pray thee have me excused. And 
another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 

So the servant came and told his master what they had said. Then 
the master of the house being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly 
into the streets of the city, and bring in here the poor and the lame and 
the blind. 

When the servant had done so, he came to his master, and said, Lord, 
it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. The Lord said 
to his servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to 
come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of 
those men who were first invited shall taste of my supper. 

And a great number of people went with Jesus. And He said to 
them, If any man wishes to come to me, and does not love me more than 
father and mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters, yea, and his 
own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 

For w^hich one of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit 
down and count the cost, to see whether you have enough to finish it. 
Lest after you have laid the foundation, and are not able to finish it, all 
that see it will begin to mock you, and say, This man began to build, and 
was not able to finish. 

Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not first 
sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to meet 
his enemy who has twenty thousand men? So likewise, any one who does 
not leave all that he has, cannot be my disciple. 

Then a great many publicans (or tax collectors) and sinners, came near 
to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and scribes complained and said, This 




RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL. 






PARABLES OF THE LOST SHEEP, THE LOST PIECE OF SILVER, 535 
AND THE PRODIGAL SON. 

man receives sinners, and eats with them. Jesus then told this parable: 
What one of you, if he have a hundred sheep, and should lose one of them, 
would not leave the ninety and nine, and go after that which was lost, un- 
til he find it? And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and 
neighbors, and says, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which 
was lost. I say unto you, that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner 
that repenteth, than over ninety-nine just persons that need no repentance. 

Or, what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she should lose one 
piece, does not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently 
until she find it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and 
her neighbors together, and says to them, Rejoice with me, for I have 
found the piece which I had lost. So I say unto you, there is joy in the 
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 

And Jesus told them another parable: A certain man had two sons; 
and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the 
property, which will come to me when you divide it among the children. 
And the father gave him his portion. And not many days after, the 
younger son gathered together all that he had, and went to a far country, 
and wasted his riches in sin and wickedness. And when he had spent all, 
a great famine came in that land; and he began to be in want. And he 
hired himself to a man of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed 
swine. And the young man would gladly have eaten of the food which 
the swine ate, but no man gave it to him. 

And when he came to himself, and was sorry for what he had done, 
he said, How many of my father's servants have bread enough and to 
spare, and I am perishing with hunger. I will arise and go to my father, 
and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before 
thee ; and am no more worthy to be called thy son ; make me as one of thy 
hired servants. 

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great 
way off, his father saw him, and had pity on him, and ran and fell on his 
neck, and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned 
against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy 
son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and 
put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring 
here the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry: for this my 
son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they be- 
gan to be merry. 

Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came near to the house, 
he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked 
what these things meant. The servant said to him, Thy brother is come, 



53 8 PARABLE OF THE UNJUST STEWARD. 

and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe 
and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in. So his father came 
out and begged him to come in. But he said to his father, I have served 
thee for many years and have not disobeyed thy word at any time, and 
yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. 
But as soon as this thy son was come, who has wasted thy property in do- 
ing wickedly, thou hast killed the fatted calf. His father said to him> 
Son, thou ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was right that we 
should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead, and is alive 
again ; he was lost, and is found. 



Parable of the Unjust Steward. The Rich 
Man and Lazarus. The Unjust Judge, 
and the Pharisee and Publican. 




Luke xvi-xviii. 

HEN Jesus said to His disciples, There was a 
certain rich man who had a steward, and he 
was accused of having wasted his master's 
goods. And the master called him and said to 
him, How is that I hear this of thee? Give an 
account of thy stewardship, for thou shalt no 
longer be steward. Then the steward said to 
himself, What shall I do? for my lord has taken away my stewardship. 
I cannot dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I am resolved what to do, that 
when I am put out of the stewardship, the people may receive me into 
their houses. 

So he called every one of his lord's debtors to him, and said to the 
first, How much dost thou owe my lord? He answered, A hundred meas- 
ures of oil. The steward said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly 
and write fifty. 

Then he said to another, And how much dost thou owe? He an- 
swered, A hundred measures of wheat. The steward said, Take thy bill, 
and write eighty. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because 
he had acted prudently ; for the children of this world are, in their genera- 
tion, more prudent than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make 
to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when you 
fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 

He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and 
he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. And if you have not 
been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which 
is your own ? 



THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS. 



539 



And Jesus spoke another parable, and told them that there was a cer- 
tain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and had the rich- 
est of food to eat every day, He had an abundance of everything that 
made life pleasant. But he had no care or thought, as it would seem, for 
the life to come. He lived as though he were to stay forever on the 
earth. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was 
covered with sores, and who lay at the rich man's gate, wishing to be fed 
with the crumbs which fell from his table. And the dogs came and 
licked his sores. 

And the beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bos- 
om. The rich man died also, and was buried. And in Hades (or 
hell) he lifted up his eyes, being in torments. And he saw Abraham afar 
off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abra- 
ham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of 
his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime had thy 
good things, but Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou 
art tormented. 

And beside this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that 
they who would pass from us to you cannot, neither can they pass to us, 
who would come from you. Then the rich man said, I pray thee then, 
father, that thou wouldst send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have 
five brethren there; that he may warn them, lest they also come to this 
place of torment. 

Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. 

The rich man answered? Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto 
them from the dead, they will repent. Abraham said, If they hear not 
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one should 
rise from the dead. 

And Jesus spoke this parable also to His disciples, to teach them that 
they should keep on praying for what they wanted, and not be discour- 
aged. He said to them, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, 
nor regarded man. And there was, a widow in that city who came to the 
judge, and said, Avenge me of mine enemy. 

He would not for awhile, but afterward he said to himself, Though I 
fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will 
avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 

And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not 
God avenge his own -chosen ones who cry day and night unto Him, 
though He bear long with them? I tell you He will avenge them speedily. 

And Jesus spoke yet another parable to certain persons, who trusted in 





/ iSi 


-■■■---' - - l|||", 3 - "- -" "-: 




~ - -- 





THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 



54° 



CHRIST BLESSES LITTLE CHILDREN. 



541 



their own righteousness, and despised others. Two men went into the 

temple to pray, 
the one a Phari- 
see, and the other 
a publican. The 
Pharisee stood 
and prayed in 
this manner: 
God, I thank 
thee that I am 
not as other men x^ PUBIICA >-. 

I fast twice in the 




THE PHARISEE. 




are, extortioners, unjust, or even as this publican. 
week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 

But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his 
eves unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, and said, God be merciful to 
me a sinner. 

I tell you, Jesus said, this man went down to his house justified rather 
than the other. For every one who exalts himself shall be brought low, 
but he who humbles himself shall be exalted. 



Christ Blesses Little Children. Jesus a 
Third time Foretells His Death and 
Resurrection. Jesus Heals two Blind 
Men hear Jericho. Jesus Visits Zaccheus. 
Jesus Enters Jerusalem Publicly. The 
Barren Fig Tree Cursed. 



Matt. 



Mark x-x/i ; Luke xvu'i-xx ; John x?\ xii. 

X these days they brought little children to 
Jesus that He might put His hands on them. 
But His disciples reproved those who 
brought them. Then Jesus said. Suffer little 
children to come unto me, and forbid them 
not: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 
And He took them up in His arms and 
blessed them. 

And He called the twelve apostles to 
Him, and said, I am going to go up to Jeru- 
salem ; and the Son of Man shall be given 
up to the Gentiles (the Romans), and they shall mock Him, and scourge 
Him, and spit upon Him, and kill Him, and the third day He shall rise 




542 



JESUS HEALS TWO BLIND MEN NEAR JERICHO. 




ONE OF THE BLIND MEN. 



again. But the apostles did not know what He meant by these things. 
And when He came near to Jericho, two blind men, sitting by the 
$t$ "JL-Mi^ wayside, when they heard that Jesus passed 

by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O 
Lord, Thou Son of David. The people 
told them to be quiet, but they cried out still 
louder, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou 
Son of David. 

Then Jesus stood still, and called one of 
them to Him, and said, What shall I do unto 
you? He answered, Lord, open our eyes. 
So Jesus pitied them, and touched their eyes; 
and immediately they received their sight, and followed Him. 

After this Jesus passed through Jericho. 
And there was a man there named Zaccheus, 
who was the chief one among the publicans, 
(or tax gatherers), and he was rich. And he 
tried to see Jesus as He passed by, but he 
could not, for the crowd was great and he 
was short of stature. So he ran on before 
and climbed up into a sycamore tree, that he 
might see Him. Jesus looked up and saw 
him, and said to him, Zaccheus, make haste 
and come down, for to-day I must stop at thy 
house. 

And he made haste, and came down, and received Jesus into his house 
joyfully. But when the people saw it, they murmured, saying, He has 
gone to be the guest of a sinner. 

And Zaccheus said to Jesus, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give 
to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man wrongfully, I re- 
store him four-fold. Jesus answered, This day is salvation come to this 
house; for the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was 
lost. 

Now it was near the time for holding the feast of the passover. And 
six days before the passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, 
whom He had raised from the dead. Then He left Bethany to go to 
Jerusalem, and when He came near to that city, He sent two of His disci- 
ples, and said, Go into the village which is near by, and there you will find 
a colt tied, on which no man ever sat. Loose him and bring him here. 
And if any one shall ask you about it, say to him, The Lord hath need 
of him; and immediately he will send him. Then the two disciples went 
to the village and found the colt. And as they were loosing him, the 




ONE OF THE BLIND MEN BROUGHT. 




CHRIST APPEARING TO MARY MAGDELENE. 



THE BARREN FIG TREE CURSED. 



545 




owners said to them, Why do you loose the colt? The disciples answered, 
The Lord hath need of him. And they let them go. 

And they brought them to Jesus. And the disciples threw their gar- 
ments on the colt, and set Jesus on them, And 
a great number of people gathered about Him 
as He rode toward the city, and took off their 
garments and spread them in the way, while 
others cut off branches from the trees and 
strewed them along the road over which Jesus 
was to pass. And all the people cried out, 
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed 
is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. 
And when He was come to Jerusalem, He 
went into the temple, and the blind and the lame came to Him there, and 
He healed them. When the evening was 
come He returned to the village of Bethany 
and slept there. In the morning, as He and 
His disciples were coming back to Jerusa- 
lem again, He was hungry. And He saw a 
fig-tree by the way, but He came to it, found 
nothing on it except a few leaves. 

He said to it, Let no more fruit grow on 
thee any more forever; and His disciples 
heard what He said. Then they went into the city, and when night drew 
near they returned to Bethany. The next day, as they were going back 
to the city again, they passed by the fig tree which had been cursed, and 
the disciples wondered greatly, when they saw that it had withered away. 





546 



THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS. 



The Parable of the Two 
able of the ylheyard. 
the Marriage Feast. 



Sons. The Par- 
The Parable of 




Matt, xxz, xxii; Mark xii; Luke xx. 

HEN they came to Jerusalem Jesus began to 

teach the people in the temple. But the 

chief priests, scribes, and elders, came to 

Him, saying, By what authority doest thou 

these things? But Jesus refused to tell 

them. And He told them this parable: A 

certain man had two sons; and he came to 

the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in 

my vineyard. He answered, I will not. 

But he afterward repented, and went. Then 

the father went to the second son, and told him 

also to go and work in the vineyard. 

He answered, I go sir; but went not. Which 
of the two, Jesus asked, did the will of his father? They 
answered, The first. Jesus said to them, Verily I say 
unto you, the publicans and sinners go into the kingdom of God before 
you. 

Then He spoke this parable to them, A certain man planted a vine- 
yard, and fenced it round about; and made a wine-press in it, and built a 
tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long 
time. 

When the time came to gather the fruit, he sent some of his servants 
to receive his share from the husbandmen. But they took his servants, 
and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another, and sent them all 
away empty. 

Then the owner of the vineyard sent more of his servants than he did 
the first time, but the husbandmen treated them in the same manner. 

Then the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do further? I will 
send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him. 

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, 
This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 
So they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 
Jesus asked, When the lord of the vineyard shall come, what shall he 
do to those husbandmen? They answered, He will punish and destroy 
those wicked men, and let out his vineyard to others. 



THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE FEAST. 547 

Jesus said to them, The kingdom of heaven shall be taken from you 
and given to the people bringing forth its proper fruits. 

When the chief priests and Pharisees heard these parables, they saw 
that Jesus had spoken against them. But when they wanted to take Him, 
to put Him to death, they dared not do so, because they feared the people. 

And He told them still another parable, A certain king made a mar- 
riage for his son. And he sent out his servants to call those who were 
invited to the wedding; but they would not come. Then he sent out other 
servants, and said, Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fat- 
lings are killed, and all things are ready; come to the marriage. 

But some made light of it, and went their ways, and the rest took the 
servants, and treated them shamefully, and slew them. 

But when the king heard of it, he was very angry, and sent forth his 
armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who 
were invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the highways, and as 
many as you shall find, invite to the marriage. 

So the servants went out, and brought into the marriage feast all the 
people they could find, both good and bad. 

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who 
had not on a wedding garment. And he said to him, Friend, how didst 
thou come in here without a wedding garment? But the man was speech- 
less. Then the king said to his servants, Bind him hand and foot, and 
take him away, and cast him into the dark place prepared for him, where 
he shall have suffering and affliction. 




548 



QUESTION CONCERNING PAYMENT OF TRIBUTE. 



Question Concerning Payment of Tribute. 
The two Great Commie dments. The 
scribes and pharisees denounced. lam- 
ENTATION oyer Jerusalem. The Widow's 
Offering. The Destruction of the Tem- 
ple Foretold. Parables of the ten Vir- 
gins AND THE FlYE TALENTS. THE FINAL 

Judgment. 




Matt, xxi-xxiv; Mark xii, xiii; Luke xx, xxi; John xii. 

ND now the Pharisees plotted together how they 

might make Jesus say something which would 

give them cause for delivering Him up to the 

Roman governor. And they sent their disciples 

with the people, called Herodians, to Him. And 

they said, Master, we know that thou dost teach 

the truth, and dost not care what men may say. Tell 

us, therefore, Is it lawful for us to give tribute (or 

taxes) to Cesar, or not? 

But Jesus knew their wickedness, and said to them, 
Why do you try me in this way, you hypocrites: Show 
me the tribute money. And they brought to Him a 
penny. 

He said to them, Whose is this image and superscription? They said, 
It is Cesar's. 

Then He said to them, Render to Cesar 
the things that are Cesar's, and to God, the 
things that are God's. And they were as- 
tonished at His answer, and left Him. 

Then one of the Pharisees, who was a 
lawyer, asked Jesus a question, to try Him. 
And he said, Master, which is the great (or 
leading) commandment in the law? Jesus 
answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This 
is the first and great commandment And the second is like unto it, Thou 
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There are no other commandments 
greater than these. 

And Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, Woe shall come to you, 




LAMENTATION OVER JERUSALEM. 



549 




JERUSALEM DESTKOTED. 



for you are hypocrites, because you prevent men from going into the 
kingdom of heaven. 

You make long prayers, and rob widows. You find a great deal of 
fault at slight offences in others, and do great wrongs yourselves 

Then Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and said, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 
thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them with stones, how often 

would I have gathered thy children to- 
gether, as a hen gathereth her chickens un- 
der her wings, but ye would not! Behold 
thou shalt be desolate and destroyed. 

And as Jesus sat near the temple, He 
saw the people casting money into the treas- 
ury. And many that were rich cast in a 
great deal. And there came a poor widow, 
who cast in two mites, the value of a far- 
thing. 

And Jesus said to His disciples, This poor widow has cast in more than 
all -of them. For all the others gave out of their abundance, but she has 
given in her poverty all she had to live upon. 

And as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to him, 
Master, see what great stones and buildings 
are here! Jesus answered, Dost thou see 
these great buildings? There shall not be 
left one stone upon another, that shall not 
be thrown down. 

And Jesus told His disciples to be watch- 
ful and always ready for His second coming, 
for He would come, when no man expected 
Him. 

And He spoke this parable to them, 
The kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins who took their lamps, and 
went forth to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and five 
were foolish. The foolish ones took no oil with them except* what was in 
their lamps ; but the five wise virgins took oil in their vessels, beside that 
which was in their lamps. 

And while they were waiting for the bridegroom, they all fell asleep. 
And at midnight a cry was made, Behold the bridegroom is coming, go 
out to meet him. 

Then all the virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish 
virgins said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are gone 
out. But the wise virgins said, No, we cannot, because there would not 
be enough for us and you. But go to those who sell, and buy for your- 
selves. 




THE POOR WIDOW. 



55° PARABLES OF THE TEN VIRGINS AND THE FIVE TALENTS. 

While they were gone to buy, the bridegroom came, and those that 
Were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut. 

The other virgins came afterwards and said, Lord, Lord, open unto us. 
But He answered, I do not know you. And they could not get in. 

Jesus spoke another parable to them, and said, A man was going to a 
far country, and he called his servants to him, and entrusted to them his 
money. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to an- 
other one. He gave to every man according to the man's ability. After 
this he set out on his journey. Then the servant who had received the 
five talents, traded with them until he had made five talents more. And 
he that had the two talents, traded with them also, and gained two talents 
more. But. he that had received one talent, went and hid his lord's money 
in the earth. 

After a long time the lord of those servants returned, and reckoned 
with them. So he who had received the five talents came to his master, 
and said, Lord, thou didst give me five talents; I have gained beside them 
five talents more. His lord said to him, Well done, thou good and faith- 
ful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make 
thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

He also, who had received two talents came, and said, Lord, thou didst 
give me two talents; behold, I have gained two talents more beside them. 

His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; because 
thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over 
many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

Then he who had received one talent came and said, Lord, I knew 
thee to be a hard man, taking what did not belong to thee, and I was 
afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth. Lo, here I bring it back 
again to thee. 

His lord said to him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest 
what I was. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money with those 
who could have used it, and then at my coming I should have received 
that which was my own with interest. 

Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten 
talents. For unto every one who has used his talents shall be given more, 
but from him that has not used his talent, shall be taken away that which 
he has. And let the unprofitable servant be punished for his neglect. 

Then Jesus told His disciples about the judgment day. He said, When 
the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, 
then shall He sit on the throne of His glory. And before Him shall be 
gathered all nations, and He shall separate them one from another, as a 
shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 

And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the eoats on His 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 55 I 

left. And the King shall say to those on His right hand, Come ye blessed 
children of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I 
was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me 
in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I 
was in prison, and you came unto me. 

And Jesus said, The righteous would answer Him, and say, Lord, 
w T hen saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed 
thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And 
the King shall answer, Because you have done it unto one of the least of 
these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

But Jesus told them the King would say to those on His left hand, De- 
part from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and 
his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me no food; I was thirsty, 
and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; 
naked, and you clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and you visited me 
not. Then, Jesus said, they would answer the King, Lord,when did we see 
thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and 
did not minister to thee? He shall say to them, Because you did it not to 
one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away 
into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. 




55: 



THE RULERS PLOT TO SEIZE JESUS. 



The Rulers Plot to Seize Jesus. He is 
Anointed at Bethany by Mary. Judas 
Lays his Plan for Betraying Him. Jesus 
Celebrates the Passoyer with the 
Twelye. They Contend who shall be 
Greatest. Jesus Washes their Feet. The 
Lord's Supper Introduced. 



Matt, xxvi; Mark xiv; Luke xxii; yohn xii, xiii; i Cor. xi. 

N the course of two days, the feast of the pass- 
over was to be held at Jerusalem. And the 
chief priests and scribes plotted together how 
they might take Jesus by cunning and put Him 
to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, 
because there might be an uproar among the 
people. 




And Jesus came to Bethany, where they made a 
supper for Him at the house of Simon the leper. Mar- 
tha waited on the guests, and Lazarus, whom Jesus had 
raised from the dead, was one of those who sat at the 
table with Jesus. 

And Mary took an alabaster box (or vase) filled 
with the ointment of spikenard, which was very costly. And she broke 
the box, and poured the ointment on Jesus' head, as He was reclining at 
the table, for in those days they did not sit on chairs as we do. 

Then Judas Iscariot, one of His apostles, who afterward betrayed Him, 
said, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, to be given 
to the poor? Judas said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because 
he was a thief, and had charge of the bag in which the money was carried- 
But Jesus answered, Let her alone; she has kept this to the day of my 
preparation for burial. You have the poor with you always, and you can 
do them good whenever you choose to do so, but you do not have me al- 
ways with you. And wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout 
the whole world, this thing which she has done, shall be told in memory 
of her. 

Then Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests, and said to them, What 
will you give me, if I will give Him up to you? And they agreed to give 
him thirty pieces of silver. 

Ana from that time Judas laid his plans to betray Jesus, whenever he 
should find Him alone. 



IUDAS LAYS HIS PLAN FOR BETRAYING HIM. 553 

Now when the first day of the passover had come, Jesus told Peter and 
John to go and make ready the feast of the passover. That is they were 
to have a part of the lamb which was offered in sacrifice, roasted for the 
feast, that He and His disciples might eat it at night together. They said 
to Him, Where shall we make it ready. Jesus answered, Go into the city, 
and there ye shall meet a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him. 
And when he goes into a house, you shall say to the owner of it, The 
Master says, Where is the guest chamber in which I may eat the passover 
with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room, all fur- 
nished; in it make ready the feast. Then the two disciples went, and 
found it as Jesus had said; and they made ready the passover. 

In the evening, Jesus came with the rest of the apostles, and they all 
sat down together to eat the passover. And Jesus said to them, I have 
desired very much to eat this passover with you, before I suffer; for I say 
unto you that I shall eat of it no more, until its meaning shall be made 
known by my death for the sins of the world, when the kingdom of God 
shall be established on the earth. But the apostles did not understand 
Jesus. They thought He was about to set up an earthly kingdom. And 
a strife arose among them, about which of them should be greatest in it. 
Jesus told them that the kings and rulers of the Gentiles, exercised author- 
ity over their people. But it shall not be so with you, Jesus said, for he 
that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief, 
as one that serves. For is not he who sits at the table greater than he 
who serves? Yet I am among you as one that serves. 

Then Jesus rose up from the table, and laid aside His outer garments, 
and took a towel, and girded Himself with it. After that He poured wa- 
ter into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them 
with the towel with which He was girded. But when He came to Peter, 
Peter said to Him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered him, 
What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Petej 
said, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered, If I wash thee not, 
thou hast no part with me. Then Peter said, Lord, not my feet only, but 
also my hands and my head. Jesus answered, He that is washed needs only 
to wash his feet, and he is wholly clean. 

So after He had washed their feet, and put on His garments, and sat 
down at the table again, He said to them, Do you knew what I have done 
to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you say the truth, for so I 
am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you ought 
also to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example, that ye 
should do as I have done to you (that is an example of Himself). 

And as they were eating, Jesus said to them, Verily I say unto you, 
one of you 'who is now eating with me, shall betray me. 




554 



CHRIST WASHING THE DISCIPLES' FEET. 



THE LORDS SUPPER INSTITUTED. 557 

Then the disciples were very sorrowful, and said to Him one by one, 
Lord, is it I? 

Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom the apostle John, whom Jesus 
loved. Peter made a sign to him that he should ask Jesus of whom He 
was speaking. John therefore said to Jesus, Lord, who is it? He an- 
swered, Is is he to whom I shall give the piece of bread when I have 
dipped it in the dish. And when He had dipped it, He gave it to Judas 
Iscariot. 

After that Satan entered into Judas, and Jesus said to him, That which 
thou intendest to do, do quickly. 

None of the disciples knew why Jesus had spoken in this manner to 
Judas. Some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had 
told him to go and buy the things that were needed for the feast, or to 
give something to the poor. 

When Judas had received the piece of bread, he went out immediately. 
And it was night. 

When he had gone out, Jesus said to His disciples, Little children, I 
shall be with you but a little while. A new commandment I give unto 
you, that you love one another. 

All men shall know that you are my disciples, if ye have love one to 
another. Then He told His disciples that they would all forsake Him that 
night, and leave Him alone. Peter said to Him, Lord, I will lay down 
my life for thy sake. 

Jesus said to him, Verily I say unto thee, this night, before the cock 
crows twice, thou shalt deny three times that thou knewest me. But Peter 
said the more earnestly, Though I should die with thee, I will not deny 
thee. And all of them said the same. 

And as they sat and ate, Jesus took bread, and when He had given 
thanks, He broke it, and gave it to His disciples, and said to them, Take, 
eat, this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of 
me. And He also took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave 
it to His disciples to drink, and said, This is my blood which is shed for 
many, for the forgiveness of sins. Drink it in remembrance of me. He 
meant to teach them that the bread represented His body which was to be 
nailed and pierced on the cross, and that the wine represented His blood 
which was shed. He also taught them that His church was to observe 
this Last Supper, or Holy Communion, or Sacrament, as it is called, until 
He should come again. 



558 JESUS LAST ADDRESS TO HIS DISCIPLES. 

Jesus' Last Address to His Disciples. His 
Agohy ih Gethsemake. He is Betrayed 
ahd Made Prisoner. He is Brought Be- 
fore the High Priest. Peter thrice De- 
hies His Master. Jesus is Brought be- 
fore the Council. He is takeh before 
Pilate. Jesus is Scourged ahd Mocked. 




Matt, xxvi, xxvii; Mark x/v, xv/ Luke xxu, xxiit; yohn xiv-xix. 

HEN Jesus said to His apostles, Let not your 
hearts be troubled; you believe in God, be- 
lieve also in me. In my Father's house are 
many mansions. I go to prepare a place for 
you; and I will come again, and receive you 
unto myself, that where I am, there you may 
be also. If you love me, keep my com- 
mandments. 

I will pray the Father, and He shall give 
you another Comforter, the Holy Spirit, 
who shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things 
that I have said to you. 

Jesus also said to them, I am the true vine, and my Father is the hus- 
bandman. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away; 
and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes it, that it may bring forth 
more fruit. 

He told them that He was the vine, and they were the branches. He 
said, Any one who abides in me, and I in Him, will bring forth much 
fruit. For without me you can do nothing. My Father is glorified when 
you bear much fruit. He said to them, This is my commandment, That 
you love one another, as I have loved you. No man has greater love than 
when he lays down his life for his friends. Jesus said, You are my friends, 
if you do whatsoever I command you. 

Jesus also said to them, that if they were of the world, the world 
would love its own ; but because they were not of the world, and because 
He had chosen them out of the world, the world would hate them. He 
said that for a little while they should not see Him, and therefore they 
would have sorrow, but He promised that He would see them again, and 
then their hearts would rejoice. He meant that they would see Him after 
His resurrection, and also that He would come again, to rejoice the hearts 
of His people, at the end of the ages. 



HIS AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 561 

He said, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name He will give 
it you. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have 
peace. In the world you shall have trouble; but be of good courage; I 
have overcome the world. 

When Jesus had finished speaking these words, He lifted up His eyes 
to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy 
Son may also glorify thee. Then He prayed for His disciples, and for all 
those who should afterward believe on His name through the preaching 
of His disciples. He asked that they all might be one, even as His Father 
and He were one, and that they might be with Him where He was going, 
and share the glory which His Father had given Him. 

After this Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn, and then went out of 
the house and came to a place, called the garden of Gethsemane, on the 
mount of Olives. And He said to His disciples, Sit here, while I go and 
pray yonder. 

And He went a little way from them, taking with Him Peter, James 
and John; and He said to them, My soul is very sorrowful, even unto 
death; stay here, and watch with me. 

And He went a little farther, and fell upon His face, and prayed, and 
said, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as 
I will, but as thou wilt. And so great was His agony, that His sweat was 
as it were great drops of blood, which fell down to the ground. 

Then He rose up and went to His disciples, arid found them sleeping. 
He said to Peter, Could you not watch with me one hour? Arise and 
pray, that you do not enter into temptation. 

Then He went away, and prayed again as He had done before. And 
when He came to His disciples, He found them asleep again. A third 
time He went away and prayed, and an angel came and ministered unto 
Him. Then He came back to His disciples, and s aid to them, Rise, let us 
be going, for He that betrays me is at hand. 

While Jesus was yet speaking to His disciples, Judas came with a band 
of men, armed with swords and staves, and carrying torches. Judas had 
given these men a sign, and told them that the one he would kiss was 
Jesus, and they must take Him and lead Him away. 

So he came up to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master! and kissed Him. 

Jesus said to him, Judas, dost thou betray me with a kiss? Then they 
laid hands on Jesus, and took Him. And Peter, who had a sword, drew 
it, and struck a servant of the high priest with it, and cut off his right ear. 

Jesus said to Peter, Put thy sword again into its sheath. Shall I not 
drink the cup which my Father has given me? 

Then Jesus touched the servant's ear and healed it. And Jesus said 
to those who took Him, Are you come out, as against a thief, with swords 




562 PETER THRICE DENIES HIS MASTER. 

and staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple, teaching, and 

you did not take me; but the scriptures must be fulfilled. Then all His 

disciples left Him alone and fled. 

And the men who had taken Jesus, led Him away to Caiaphas, the 

high priest, with whom were all the chief priests, the scribes, and elders. 

And Peter followed afar off. 

When Jesus was brought before the high priest, the high priest asked 

Him about His disciples, and about the things which He taught. Jesus 

answered, I spoke openly in the synagogue, 
and in the temple, where the Jews always go, 
and I have said nothing in secret. Why dost 
thou ask me? Ask those who heard me what 
I have said to them. They know what I said. 
When Jesus had given this reply, one of the 
officers who stood by, struck Him with the 
palm of* his hand, and said, Dost thou answer 
the high priest in this manner? Jesus said, If 
I have spoken evil, tell me what the evil is; 

CHRIST IN THE GARDEN. 1 • r t 1 1 1 • 1 , 1 

but if I have spoken what is right, why dost 
thou strike me? 

Now Peter had followed Jesus to the high priest's palace, and he went 
in and sat down among the servants to see what would happen. And one 
of the high priest's maids said to him, Thou also wast with Jesus of Naz- 
areth. But Peter denied it, and said, Woman, I know Him not. And he 
went out on the porch, and the cock crew. After awhile another maid 
saw him, and said to those who were about her, This is one of them. But 
Peter denied it again. 

Then those who were about said to him, Surely thou art Qne of them, 
for thy speeeh shows that thou art a Galileean. But Peter began to curse 
and swear, saying, I know not the man. 

And the second time the cock crew. 

And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. Then Peter remem- 
bered that Jesus had said to him, Before the cock shall crow twice, thou 
shalt deny me thrice. Then Peter went out and wept bitterly. 

In the morning, Jesus was taken before the council or Sanhedrim, 
which was composed of seventy of the chief men. And the chief priests, 
and scribes, and elders, tried to find witnesses who would speak falsely 
against Jesus, that they might put him to death. At last they found two 
men who testified that Jesus said He w r as able to destroy the temple of 
God, and to build it up again in three days. But Jesus was silent. 

Tnen the high priest arose, and said, Dost thou answer nothing? Still 
Jesus made no reply. 




THE CRUCIFIXION. 




565 



566 HE IS TAKEN BEFORE PILATE. 

Again the high priest asked Him, Art thou the Christ, the Soi 
of God? Jesus answered, I am; and hereafter you shall see the Son of 
Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of 
heaven. 

Then the high priest rent his clothes, and said to the men in the coun- 
cil, He has spoken blasphemy; what need is there of more witnesses? 
What do you think? They all answered, He is worthy of death. Then 
some began to spit in His face, others blindfolded Him. And they struck 
Him with the palms of their hands, and said, Tell us, thou Christ, who is 
he that smote Thee? 

Then they bound Him, and led Him away to Pontius Pilate, the 
Roman governor. And they accused Him before Pilate, and said, We 
found this fellow stirring up the oeople against Caesar, and saying that He 
Himself is Christ, a king. 

Pilate asked Him, Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered, I 
am ; but my kingdom is not of this world, for if it were, then would my 
servants fight, that I might not be given up to the Jews. 

Then Pilate said to those who had brought Jesus, I find no fault in this 
man. But they were the more fierce, and said, He is making the people 
rebel against Caesar by His teaching, throughout all Judea, from Galilee to 
this city. 

When Pilate heard the name of Galilee, he asked if Jesus were a 
Galilean. And when he was told that He was, he sent Jesus to Herod, 
who was governor of Galilee; for Herod was in Jerusalem at that time. 

When Herod saw Jesus he was very glad, because he had wished to 
see Him for a long time, as he had heard many things of Him. He hoped 
also to see Jesus do some miracle. 

Herod asked Him many things; but Jesus answered Him nothing. 
And the chief priests and scribes stood by and violently accused Him. 

Then Herod with his captains railed at Him, and mocked Him, and 
dressed Him in a kind of kingly robe, and sent Him back to Pilate again. 

Then Pilate, having called the chief priests, rulers, and people to- 
gether, said to them, You have brought this man to me, and said, He is 
trying to make the people revolt; but I have examined Him before you, 
and have found no fault in Him concerning those things of which you 
have accused Him. No, neither has Herod; for I sent you to him, and 
nothing that should cause His death was found against Him. 

Now at the feast of the passover, it was the custom of the Roman 
governor to set free, according to the choice of the people, any one of the 
Jewish prisoners who had been shut up for breaking the Roman law. 
There was in prison at that time a well known Jew, named Barabbas, 
who had been found guilty of rebellion and murder. And the people be- 




THE BETRAYAL OF CHRIST. 



568 JESUS IS SCOURGED AND MOCKED. 

gan to cry aloud, and demand that the governor should set one of the 
prisoners free, as was the custom. Then Pilate said unto them, Shall I 
release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief 
priests wanted Jesus put to death, because they hated Him. But the peo- 
ple, being persuaded by the chief priests to do so, cried out all at once, 
Away with this man, and set Barabbas free. 

When Pilate had sat down on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him 
a message, Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered 
much this day in a dream about him. 

Then Pilate asked the people, What then shall I do with Jesus, who 
is called Christ? 

They all answered, Crucify Him, crucify Him. 

Pilate said, Why, what evil hath He done? I have found nothing 
against Him, I will scourge Him, and let Him go. 

But they cried out the more, saying, Let Him be crucified. 

When Pilate saw that they were determined to have Jesus put to death, 
he took some water and washed his hands before the people, and said, I 
am irnocent of the blood of this just person, see you to it. 

Then all the people answered, His blood be upon us, and upon our 
children. 

Then Pilate set Barabbas free. And when he had scourged Jesus, he 
gave Him into the hands of the soldiers. 

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall of 
the palace, and stripped off His outer garments, and put on Him, in mock- 
ery, a purple robe. 

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head. 
And they put a reed into His right hand, as though it were a scepter. 
Then they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, and said, Hail, 
King of the Jews! And they took the reed, and struck Him on the head, 
and spat upon Him, and smote Him with their hands. 

Then Pilate, still hoping that the Jews might be willing to let Jesus go, 
went out to them again, and said, See, I bring Him out before you, that 
you may know that I find no fault in Him. Then Jesus came out, wear- 
ing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to the mul- 
titude, BEHOLD THE MAN! 

But when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, Cru- 
cify Him, crucify Him. 

Pilate said to them, Take Him, and crucify Him, for I find no fault in 
Him. The Jews answered, We have a law, and by our law He ought to 
die, because He claimed to be the Son of God. 

When Pilate heard this, he was the more afraid, and said to Jesus, 
Where dost thou come from? 




5 6 9 



57° 



JUDAS REPENTS AND HANGS HIMSELF. 



But Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate said, Dost thou not speak 
to me? Dost not thou know that I have power to crucify thee, and power 
to set thee free? 

Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, unless 
it were given thee from God. And those who have given me up to thee, 
have committed a greater sin than thou hast. 

Pilate tried still harder to release Jesus; but the Jews cried out, If thou 
let this man go thou art not a friend of Caesar (the Roman Emperor). 
For whoever claims to be a king, rebels against Caesar. When Pilate 
heard what they said, he was afraid, and tried no more to save Jesus, but 
gave Him up to the Jews to be crucified. 



Judas Repents and Hangs Himself. Jesus is 
Led Away to be Crucified. The Crucifix- 
ion. Jesus Dies on the Cross. The Super- 
natural Signs Which Accompany His 
Death. The Burial of Jesus. The Guard 
set at the sepulchre. 



Matt, xxvii; Mark xv; Luke xxiii; yohn xix. 

HEN Judas Iscariot repented of what 

he had done, when he saw that Jesus 

was condemned to death, and took 

back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests 

and elders, and said to them, I have sinned, for I 

have betrayed an innocent man. 

They said, What is that to us? See thou to 
that. 

And Judas cast down the money in the tem- 
ple, and went away and hanged himself. 

Then the chief priests took the pieces of silver, 
and said, It is not lawful to put them into the 
treasury, because it is the price of blood. So they 
took the money and bought with it a field, called 
the potter's field, that is, a place to bury strangers 
in. 

And the soldiers took off the purple robe from Jesus, and put His own 
clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. 

And as they were going, they met a man named Simon. And they 
made him help Jesus carry the cross. And a great crowd of people fol- 






THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS. 



THE CRUCIFIXION. 



573 




BDION HELPING TO CARET THE CROSS. 



lowed Him, and many women. And the women wept and lamented for 

Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, 
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but 
weep for yourselves and for your children. 
Then He told them that the time was coming 
when great trouble and sorrow would come 
upon them. 

And they came to the place called Calva- 
ry, and there they nailed Jesus to the cross 
and crucified Him. And as they were cruci- 
fying Him, He prayed for them, and said, 
Father, forgive them, for they know not what 
they do. 

And they offered Him vinegar and myrrh 
to drink, which was given to dull the sense of 
pain, but after tasting it, He refused to drink 
it. And upon the cross, over Jesus' head, 

Pilate had caused to be placed, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING 

OF THE JEWS. 

And they crucified with Him two thieves, one on His right hand and 

the other on His left. 

When the Roman soldiers had hung Jesus 

on the cross, they s?t down to watch, and 

while they were sitting there, they divided the 

garments of Jesus among themselves. And 

they cast lots for His outer garment or coat, to 

see whose it should be, because it was without 

seam, woven from top throughout, and the sol- 
diers thought it was a pity to tear it. 

And those that passed by mocked Jesus, 

and shook their heads at Him, and said, Thou 

that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in 

three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son 

of God, come down from the cross. 

The chief priests, the scribes and the elders 

also mocked Him, and said, He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 

He trusted in God, let God deliver Him now, if He will have Him, for he 

called Himself the Son of God. 

And one of the thieves who was crucified with Jesus, also mocked Him 

and said, If thou art Christ, save thyself and us. 

But the other thief reproved him, and said, Dost thou not fear God? 

We suffer justly for our sins, but this man has not done anything wrong. 




574 THE SUPERNATURAL SIGNS WHICH ACCOMPANY HIS DEATH. 

Then he prayed to Jesus, and said, Lord, remember me when thou 
comest into thy kingdom. Jesus said to him, Verily, I say unto thee, To- 
day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. 

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and with her, her 
sister and some other women, and His beloved apostle John. 

And Jesus looked down at His mother, and said, Woman, behold thy 
Son! Then He looked at John and said, Behold thy mother! 

And John took her home with him, and was always like a son to her 
afterwards until she died. 

And about the sixth hour, or noon-day, a dreadful darkness came over 
all the land, which lasted until the ninth hour, or three o'clock in the after- 
noon. About tne ninth hour, Jesus said, I thirst; and as one of the sol- 
diers was touching His lips with a sponge full of vinegar, Jesus gave a 
great cry, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? 

Then very soon afterwards He said, it is finished! Father into thy 
hands I commit my spirit! And He cried with a loud cry, and bowed His 
head, and died. 

Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bot- 
tom; The earth shook, and the rocks were rent asunder. The graves also 
were opened, and many of the saints who slept in the graves arose, and 
came out of them, and after the resurrection of Jesus, went into Jerusalem, 
and appeared unto many people there. 

And when the centurion, and the soldiers who were with him, watch- 
ing Jesus, saw the earthquake, and all the things that were done, they 
feared greatly, and said, Truly this man was the Son of God. 

Now the Jews did not wish the bodies to remain upon the crosses the 
next day, because it was their Sabbath, so they begged Pilate that the legs 
of the two thieves might be broken, to hasten their death. So Pilate sent 
some soldiers,who went and broke the legs of the two thieves,but when they 
came to Jesus they found that He was dead already. So they did not 
break His legs, but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and 
from the wound flowed blood and water. 

There was a rich man named Joseph, who was a disciple of Jesus, but 
he had kept it secret because he feared the Jews. But after Jesus was 
dead, he went boldly to Pilate and begged that the body of Jesus might 
be given up to him. And Pilate, after making sure that Jesus was dead, 
gave him leave to take the body away. 

And Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus by night to be taught, also 
came, and brought a mixture of sweet spices to anoint the body of Jesus. 
So these two wrapped the body in fine linen with the spices, and laid it in 
the tomb prepared for it by Joseph. It was hewn out of the side of the 
rock, and was quite new. 







THE BURIAL OF CHRIST. 



AN ANGEL ROLLS AWAY THE STONE FROM THE DOOR OF THE 577 

SEPULCHRE. 

And they rolled a great stone co the door, and there they left the body 
and went away that they might keep the Sabbath. 

And Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James saw where He 
was laid. When Jesus was buried, the chief priests and the Pharisees 
came to Pilate, and said, We remember that that deceiver, while He was 
yet alive, said, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore 
that the sepulchre be made safe, until the third day, lest His disciples come 
by night and steal Him away, and go and say to the people that He is 
risen from the dead. 

Pilate answered, You have a guard ; go and make the sepulchre as 
secure as you can. So they went and sealed the stone that was at the door 
of the sepulchre, with the Roman seal, which it was death unlawfully to 
break, and they set soldiers to watch the tomb. 



An Angel Bolls away the Stoke from the 
Door of the Sepulchre. The Resurrec- 
tion of Jesus. Yision of Angels at the 
Sepulchre. Jesus Showed Himself at 
Different Times to the Apostles. The 
Ascension. 



Matt, xxviii; Mark xvi; Luke xxiv; John xx-xxi; I Cor. xv; Acts i. 

night after the Sabbath there was a great 
earthquake, and the angel of the Lord came 
down from heaven, and rolled away the stone 
from the door of the sepulchre, and sat upon 
it. His face shone like lightning, and his rai- 
ment was as white as snow. The soldiers who 
were watching the sepulchre were greatly 
frightened, and fell to the ground as though 
they had been struck dead. 

And very early in the morning, on the first 
"""-**" day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Mary the 

mother of James, and Salome, came to the sepulchre, and brought sweet 
spices which they had prepared, that they might anoint the body of Jesus. 
And as they were walking along, they said among themselves, Who shall 
roll aw T ay the stone for us from the door of the sepulchre? 

But when they came nearer, they saw that it was taken away; and 
when they went in, they saw that the body of the Lord was gone. They 
feared at first that some one had taken it away; but as they looked, two 






578 



THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST. 







HE IS NOT HER 



i ' 




LISEN. 




THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. 583 

men stood by them in shining garments, who were the angels of the Lord. 
And they said, Why do you seek the living 
among the dead? He is not here, but is 
risen, as He said. Come, see the place 
where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and 
tell His disciples that He is risen from the 
dead, and that He goes before you into Gal- 
ilee. There you shall see Him. 

And they departed quickly from the 
sepulchre, with fear and with great joy, and 
ran to tell His disciples the glad tidings. mart magdai^ne. 

And as they went, Jesus met them, and said to them, All hail. And 
they came and held Him by the feet, and worshiped Him. 

Jesus said to them, Be not afraid; go and tell my brethren to go into 
Galilee, and there they shall see me. So the women came and told the 
eleven apostles and those that were with them, that Jesus had risen from the 
dead, and also what He had said. * 

When Peter and John heard what the women said, they both ran 
quickly to the sepulchre; but John ran faster than Peter, and was the first 
to reach the tomb. He stooped down, and looked in, and saw the linen 
clothes lying there, but he did not enter in. As soon as Peter came up, he 
went in, and saw the linen clothes folded up in an orderly manner. Then 
John went in also, and he saw and believed that Jesus was indeed risen 
from the dead. Then they left the garden, and went away to their own 
homes. 

And some of the soldiers, who had been placed as a guard over the 
sepulchre, went into the city, and told the chief priests all that they had 
seen. Then the chief priests and the elders talked the matter over among 
themselves. And they gave a great deal of money to the soldiers, and 
told them to say to the people, that His disciples came in the night and stole 
Him away while they slept. If the governor should hear of it, the chief 
priests and elders said, we will persuade him not to punish you, and so you 
will be safe. So the soldiers took the money and did as they were told; 
and from that time it was a common saying among the Jews, that the dis- 
ciples of Jesus came in the night and stole His body away, while the guards 
were asleep. 

On the same day that Jesus rose from the dead, two of His disciples 
went to a village called Emmaus, which was eight miles distant from 
Jerusalem. And as they walked, they talked together of all the things 
that had happened. While they were talking, Jesus Himself drew near 
and went with them, but they were kept in some way from knowing Him. 
And He said to them, What is it that you are talking together about, as 
you walk together, that makes you so sad? 



584 JESUS SHOWED HIMSELF AT DIFFERENT TIMES TO THE APOSTLES. 

And one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered, Art thou a 
stranger in Jerusalem, and dost thou not know the things which have 
taken place there in these days? 

Jesus said, What things? They answered, Concerning Jesus of Naz- 
areth, who was a prophet, very great in deed and word before God and 
all the people ; and how the chief priests and our rulers have given Him up 
to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him. But we trusted that 
it was He who should have freed Israel from the Roman bondage. And 
besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. And 
some women belonging to our company made us astonished; for they 
went very early to His sepulchre, and came back, and said they did not 
find His body there, but they saw two angels who told them that He was 
alive. 

And some of the men who were with us went to the sepulchre, and 
found it to be as the woman had told us; but they did not see Him. 

Then Jesus said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe 
all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered 
these things, and to enter into His glory? 

And, beginning with Moses and the prophets, He explained to them 
the things in the Scriptures which related to Himself. 

And when they came near to the village of Emmaus, Jesus walked on 
as though He would have gone further, but they urged Him to stay 
with them that night. They said, The evening is coming on, and the day 
is almost ended. So He went in and stayed with them. And when they 
had sat down to eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed and broke it, and gave 
it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and im- 
mediately He disappeared from their sight. And they said to one another, 
Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, 
and explained to us the Scriptures? 

Then they rose up at once, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 
eleven apostles gathered together, and others with them. And as they 
came in, the apostles were saying, The Lord has risen indeed, and has ap- 
peared to Peter. Then the two disciples told them how they had seen 
and talked with Jesus, and how they had known Him by His blessing and 
breaking the bread. 

While they were talking about it, Jesus stood in the midst of them, 
and said, Peace be unto you. But they were greatly afraid, for they 
thought they saw a spirit. Jesus said to them, Why are you afraid? See 
my hands and my feet; it is I myself; put your hands on me and see that 
I have a body ; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that 
I have. And when He had spoken, He showed them his hands and 



THE ASCENSION. 



585 



feet, which bore the marks of the nails. And while they could not yet 
believe for joy, and wondered, He said to them, Have you any food here? 
And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of a honey-comb; and 
He took it, and ate it before them. 

And He said to them, This is what I spoke unto you, while I was yet 
with you, that all those things must be fulfilled which were written in the 
law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me. Then 
He explained to the apostles, those parts of the Scriptures which spoke of 
His death and resurrection. Thus it was written, and thus it was necessary 
for me to suffer death, and to rise from the dead the third day, so that re- 
pentance and forgiveness of sins might be preached in my name among all 
nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. 
Go ye, therefore, into all the world, and preach the gospel to every crea- 
ture. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved : but he that be- 
lieveth not shall be condemned. 

But Thomas, called Didymus, one of the apostles, was not with the 
others when Jesus came, and when they told him, afterwards, that they 
had seen the Lord, he said, Except I shall see in His hands the print of 
the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand 
into the wound in His side, I will not believe that you have seen Him. 

After eight days, Thomas and the other ten apostles were all gathered 
in a room together, and the doors were shut. Then Jesus came and stood 
in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then He said to Thomas, 
Reach hither thy finger, Thomas, and behold my hands; and reach hither 
thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. 
Then Thomas knew it was Jesus, and said, My Lord and my God. Jesus 
said to him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; 
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the 
sea of Tiberias, or sea of Galilee. Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, 
James and John — the two sons of Zebedee, — and two other of His disci- 
ples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I go a-fishing. They said 
to him, We also go with thee. 

Then they went on the sea in a boat, but that night they caught noth- 
ing. When the morning came, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples 
did not know that it was Jesus. And He called out to them, and said, 
Children, have you any fish? They answered, No. 

Then He said, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall 
find fish. They did so, and they were not able to draw the net up on ac- 
count of the great number of fishes in it. Then John, the disciple whom 
Jesus loved, said to Peter, It is the Lord. 

When Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tightened his fisherman's 




CHRIST'S COMMAND TO PETER. 



586 



THE ASCENSION. 



587 



garment about him, and threw himself into the sea, that he might get to Je- 
sus as quickly as possible. And the other disciples came in the boat, drag- 
ging the net with the fishes. 

As soon as they came to the shore, they saw a fire of coals there, and 
fish laid upon it, and bread Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish 
which you have caught. 

Peter went and drew the net full of great fishes to land. There were 
a hundred and fifty-three of them, and although there were so many, the 
net was not broken. 

Jesus said to them, Come and dine. But none of the disciples dared 
asked Him, Who art thou? because they knew it was the Lord. And 
Jesus took bread, and gave it to them, and fish also. 

This was the third time that Jesus had showed Himself to His disciples 
after He had risen from the dead. 

At another time the eleven apostles went up on a mountain in Galilee, 
where Jesus had told them to meet Him; and He went to them there, and 
when they saw Him, they worshiped Him. 

And Jesus spoke to them and said, All power is given to me in heaven 
and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and lo, 
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (or the consumma- 
tion of the ages). 

Jesus stayed on the earth forty days after He had risen from the dead, 
and He not only showed Himself to His apostles, but He was seen also by 
more than five hundred of His disciples at one time. 

At the end of the forty days, Jesus met His apostles at Jerusalem, and 
led them out to the mount of Olives. And He told them to stay at Jeru- 
salem until the Holy Spirit should be sent upon them. 

And while He talked with them, He was parted from them, and was 
carried up into heaven ; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 

While they still looked up after Him, behold, two angels stood by 
them in white raiment, who said, Ye men of Galilee, why do you stand 
gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into 
heaven, shall come again in like manner as you have seen Him go into 
heaven Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and 
went often to the temple to praise and thank God. 



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